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Egyptian Cyclist Endorses Climate Summit | |
| Staff Writer |
Six days from now, three enthusiastic Egyptian cyclists and Wolfgang Hohmann, a German bike shop owner based in the United Arab Emirates, will set out on a journey from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh, where the United Nations climate summit Cop27 will be held, with the intention of raising awareness about environmental sustainability and forging a connection with the United Arab Emirates, which will host Cop28.
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A group led by Egyptian-German organiser Yusef Ahmed, bicycling enthusiast Galal Zekri, retired ambassador Mohamed Elewa, and Mr. Hohmann, aka Wolfi, will ride roughly 655 kilometres. The group will begin its journey on October 27 at the German International University in the New Administrative Capital, located about 35 kilometres east of central Cairo, and end at the International Convention Centre in Sharm El Sheikh.
“Cop27 is about environmentally-friendly action,” Mr Ahmed, 47, told The National.
He stated the Cop27 by bike initiative has three main environmental awareness tags to promote.
“Number one tag would be ‘don’t litter'. Number two is ‘be active’. Number three would be, in general, creating awareness on resource efficiency,” he said.
Wolfi's founder and avid cyclist Wolfgang Hohmann started out twenty years ago in a small nook of his brother's German auto repair business and has since built the company into a household name in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Mr Hohmann, who set up his famous bike shop two decades ago, told The National he is happy to support the cause and “connect Cop27 with Cop28”.
He is hoping to spread the messages of “trying to incorporate a more active lifestyle into your daily routine” and “instead of using fuel, you use your own body”.
UAE tops Global Food Security Index 2022
According to the UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), the country topped the MENA area in terms of food security in 2022, jumping from third place in 2021. This was based on the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022, which was issued by Economist Impact. First in the overall food security index and the food availability indicator, second in food quality and safety, and fifth in food sustainability, adaptation, and affordability, the UAE topped all MENA countries on the index.
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, said, “Strengthening food security is a strategic priority for the UAE. To achieve this objective, we have adopted an integrated approach that includes the implementation of national strategies and the creation of an enabling legislative and regulatory framework.”
In order to ensure food security in the face of adversity, the National Food Security Strategy 2051 entails a wide range of measures, including the use of cutting-edge technologies, the encouragement of local production, the formation of international partnerships to increase the diversity of food sources, and the implementation of laws and policies to enhance nutrition and lessen food waste. The goal of the plan is to make the United Arab Emirates a leader in food security innovation and raise the country's profile on international food security indices.
The United Arab Emirates ranked in the middle of the pack on the global food security index at #23. On a scale from 0 to 100, the country scored 75.2%, an increase of 4.2% from the previous year's score of 71. MOCCAE and EDB signed a Memorandum of Understanding in August 2021 to work together to find new ways to finance ventures in the agrifood sector that make use of cutting-edge technologies and environmentally friendly practises.