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4th-ECA-BusinessForum-2024_1920x530px_16

4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum

Introduction

The 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum is a high-level convening focused on the role of private sector in driving sustainable energy transition and climate action across the Mediterranean region. The Forum will take place within the Cairo Sustainable Energy Week (CSEW) on October 2, 2024, in Egypt.

The 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum aims to showcase regional efforts in sustainable energy transition, promote innovative financing solutions, and stimulate collaboration among international financial institutions, the private sector, local authorities, and entrepreneurs.

The 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business is organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), with support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and in partnership with the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE).

Join us for an entire day focused on the Mediterranean journey towards sustainability! Engage with organizations at the forefront of a just energy transition in the Mediterranean. Discover groundbreaking regional initiatives, explore cutting-edge financing strategies, and forge invaluable connections with representatives from international financial institutions, industry leaders, local authorities, and innovative entrepreneurs.

Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of our region – be part of the conversation to spark a greener Mediterranean!

About Cairo Sustainable Energy Week

Building on the momentum from the UN COP27 2022 hosted in Egypt, the second edition of Cairo Sustainable Energy Week (CSEW) aims to facilitate discussions, analyses, and evaluations on the challenges and opportunities in developing and implementing sustainable energy policies in the Arab League Member-States. The focus will lie on ensuring accessible and dependable energy services for all segments of society. The CSEW is organized by RCREEE and will take place in Cairo, Egypt from October 1-3, 2024.

The 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum takes place within the framework of the CSEW, complementing the CSEW agenda with discussions on financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships that catalyze change and foster action-oriented solutions towards a sustainable energy transition in the Mediterranean.

Objectives of the 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum

Foster private sector involvement in energy transition and climate strategies.

Showcase regional initiatives and best practices.

Advocate for innovative financing solutions to create green jobs.

Provide a platform for solution developers working in renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate action.

Focus areas

Private Sector in Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean region

Banks and Financial Institutions Financing the Energy Transition

Funding Mechanisms and Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation

Corporates, Foundations and Chambers of Commerce in the Mediterranean region

Startups and innovation: pitch your project!

For young entrepreneurs in sustainable development, energy, and climate action, we will host sessions to pitch projects to potential collaborators, investors, and incubators during the convening.

Participation

Participants

The 4th UfM Energy & Climate Business Forum will gather more than 100 participants from major private sector institutions, companies, and initiatives that will complement the CSEW agenda by promoting discussions on financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships in sustainable energy transition. Achieving a climate-neutral Mediterranean economy requires the full engagement of all stakeholders, emphasizing re-skilling and upskilling programs to support the workforce transition to a green economy.

Registration

The 4th UfM Energy & Climate Business Forum is by invitation only, but we highly welcome registrations from interested officials, experts, businesspeople, and women and youth entrepreneurs. We offer financial coverage for a few participants; please let us know if you’re interested in the registration form. We will contact accepted registrants with more details.

Agenda and Speakers

Biographies of the speakers

Registration
8.15 - 9.00

S1: Opening session
9.00 -10.30

Shahira Amin,
(Moderator)
Nonresident Senior Fellow,
Atlantic Council

Grammenos Mastrojeni is an Italian diplomat, professor and writer who has focused for the past 25 years on the societal, geo-strategic and economic impacts of environmental degradation, as well as on topics related to environmental protection, human cohesion, peace and security. He has taught sustainability and conflict resolution in various universities in Italy and abroad, and in 2009, the Ottawa University in Canada entrusted him with the first class by a University on the issue of Environment, resources and geostrategy. Formerly, until August 2019, he was the Coordinator for the Environment and Head of the Science-Policy Interface at the Italian Development Cooperation, heading Italian delegations on lands, water and oceans and joining negotiations on climate and biodiversity. Chair of the UN Mountain Partnership, and Co Chair of the Global Islands Partnership, he is President of the largest Italian association for sustainable development education “Isola della Sostenibilità” and member of the Scientific Boards of numerous university courses and entities. Author of numerous articles and official reports on the environment, he published 8 books including “Greenhouse effect, war effect”, written together with the climatologist Antonello Pasini (Chiarelettere, 2017), and “The Ark of Noah – Saving together our Common Home” that ranked as best-selling essays. Among his publications there are also “The indissoluble cycle. Peace, environment, development and freedom in the global balance” (Vita e Pensiero, 2002); “The necessary eco-revolution” (Italian Scientific Editions, 2008); “Now or never. A decade, and not beyond, to save ourselves and the Earth” (Amazon, 2016).

Grammenos Mastrojeni,
(Co-organizer)
Senior Deputy Secretary General,
Union for the Mediterranean

Mahmoud Maged,
(Co-organizer)
Technical Director and Lead Advisor,
Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Ouael Chouchene,
Secretary of State for Energy Transition,
Ministry of Industry, Mines & Energy of Tunisia

Yassaa Noureddine,
Commissioner for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency,
Algeria’s Prime Minister’s Office

Mahmoud Fathallah
Director of Department of Environments and Meteorological Affairs,
League of Arab States

Ahmed Adbelaziz Mohamed Badr,
Director-Project Facilitation and Support,
International Renewable Energy Agency

Christian Berger,
Head of Delegation,
The European Union Delegation to Egypt

Tibor Stelbaczky,
Principal Adviser – Energy Diplomacy,
European External Action Service

S2: Access to Green finance
10.30 - 11.30

Roberta Boniotti,
(Moderator)
Secretary-General,
Mediterranean Association of National Agencies for Energy Management

Ghada Rahal,
Future Energy Leader,
World Energy Council

Radia Sedaoui,
Chief, Energy Section, Sustainable Development Policies Division,
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Ayman Ismail,
Chairman For Technical Affairs,
Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority Deputy

Boukhalfa Yaici,
Managing Director,
Green Energy Cluster Algeria

Farrah Boularas,
MENA Program Manager,
International Energy Agency

S3: Funding mechanisms
12.00 - 13.00

Marie-Claire Boillot,
(Moderator)
Senior Advisor, Energy and Climate Action Division,
Union for the Mediterranean

S3 - Guido Clary European Investment Bank

Guido Clary,
Head of EIB Regional Hub for North Africa and the Near East in Cairo,
European Investment Bank

S3 - Anisse Terai PLIFF Catalyctic finance Tell group

Anisse Terai,
Managing Director,
Tell Group

Amgad Elmahdi,
Regional Manager,
Green Climate Fund

Rana El Guindy,
Economics and Finance Expert,
Econoler International Energy

S3 - Ashraf Zeitoun Team Lead - EBRD GEFF

Ashraf Zeitoun,
Team Lead,
Santec

S4: The role of MDBs and carbon markets in climate action and green energy transition
13.00 - 14.00

Ines Duarte,
(Moderator)
Project Manager, Energy and Climate Action Division,
Union for the Mediterranean

Yousra Assaker,
Senior Energy Specialist,
World Bank

Ahmed ElSaket,
Project Officer,
European Investment Bank

S4 - Selimcan AzizogluCACE GORD Deputy Director

Selimcan Azizoglu,
Senior Manager Program and Partnerships,
Climate Action Center of Excellence

S4 - KishorRajhansaGlobalCarbon CouncilChief Operating officer

Kishor Rajhansa,
Chief Operating officer,
Global Carbon Council

S5: The role of the Corporate companies, Chambers of Commerce and Foundations in fostering a just energy transition and sustainable development in the region
15.00 - 16.00

Houda Ben Jannet Allal,
(Moderator)
Director General,
Organisation Méditerranéenne de l’Energie et du Climat

Julie Chrysler,
Director, Circular Economy and Social Impact,
Yunus Environment Hub

Mohanad SalahEldin,
Regional Director,
German Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Ayman Ismail,
Vice-President of Government and Institutional relations,
Hitachi Energy

Sara Al Haddad,
Executive Director,
SwissCham Egypt

S6: Startups and Innovation
16.00 - 17.00

Nadia Chioukh,
(Moderator)
International Cooperation and Communication Manager,
Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Jane Hanna,
Head of Partnerships,
Arab Academy for Science and Technology – Entrepreneurship Center

Salma Hatem Abdallah,
Program Coordinator,
The American University in Cairo – Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Zeyad Daradkeh,
Chief Executive Officer,
Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation

Biographies of the speakers

Date and venue

October 2, 2024, at the Nile Ritz Carlton, Cairo, Egypt.

Previous events

The 3rd UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum, in Tangier, Morocco (June 22, 2023)

The 2nd UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum, in Lisbon, Portugal (July 18, 2019)

The 1st UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum, in Cairo, Egypt (October 18, 2017)

Background

Climate change continues to threaten the stability, security, and prosperity of the Mediterranean region, evidenced by recent extreme events. Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC) emphasize the urgent need for enhanced action and cooperation in energy and climate initiatives. The situation presents both challenges and opportunities for regional integration and development, particularly in fostering green business and entrepreneurship.

The outcomes from COP28 in Dubai highlight critical areas for the Mediterranean:

Energy Transition: Fast-tracking an equitable energy transition through rapid decarbonization and global pledges.
Climate Finance: Addressing public and private climate finance with commitments to various climate funds.
Climate Resilience: Enhancing climate resilience, focusing on human-centered adaptation and resilience building.

In response, the UfM aims to unite stakeholders through dialogue, cooperation, and support for projects aligned with its priorities to i) promote a Mediterranean agenda for energy and climate action, ii) reinforce regional dialogue among member states and stakeholders and iii) support project promotion and implementation.

Read more:

Press contact

The media is invited to attend the event. Interviews during and after the forum with key speakers, experts and decision-makers are possible.

If you need additional information please contact UfM Press Officer Cristina Tomàs White:

+34 935 214 137

+34 691 519 634

media@ufmsecretariat.org

Download the UfM press kit:
AR // EN // ES // FR

Organized by

In partnership with

Co-financed by the European Union

Objectives

Focus areas

Participation

Agenda and Speakers

Venue

Previous events

Background

Press contact

4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum

Introduction

About Cairo Sustainable Energy Week

Objectives of the 4th UfM Energy and Climate Business Forum

Focus areas

Startups and innovation: pitch your project!

Participation

Participants

Registration

Agenda and Speakers

Registration 8.15 - 9.00

S1: Opening session 9.00 -10.30

S2: Access to Green finance 10.30 - 11.30

S3: Funding mechanisms 12.00 - 13.00

S4: The role of MDBs and carbon markets in climate action and green energy transition 13.00 - 14.00

S5: The role of the Corporate companies, Chambers of Commerce and Foundations in fostering a just energy transition and sustainable development in the region 15.00 - 16.00

S6: Startups and Innovation 16.00 - 17.00

Date and venue

Previous events

Background

Press contact

Organized by

In partnership with

Registration
8.15 - 9.00

S1: Opening session
9.00 -10.30

S2: Access to Green finance
10.30 - 11.30

S3: Funding mechanisms
12.00 - 13.00

S4: The role of MDBs and carbon markets in climate action and green energy transition
13.00 - 14.00

S5: The role of the Corporate companies, Chambers of Commerce and Foundations in fostering a just energy transition and sustainable development in the region
15.00 - 16.00

S6: Startups and Innovation
16.00 - 17.00