twentieth Session of AMCEN Formally Launched in Nairobi

The Opening Ceremony of the Twentieth Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-20) was officially launched this morning, Wednesday, 16th July, 2025 by the Rt. Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya.

The session is being held in Nairobi, Kenya from 12th to 18th July 2025, under the host manship of the Government of the State of Libya. This year’s meeting marks a historic milestone and celebration of the 40th anniversary of AMCEN which was, established in 1985 to spearhead environmental governance and cooperation across the African continent.

AMCEN is being held under the theme “Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future,” the conference provides a critical moment for African leaders to reflect on past achievements, assess current challenges, and strategize future responses to the continent’s environmental priorities.

This landmark session has drawn wide participation, with 35 Ministers of Environment and representatives from 53 African countries in attendance. Also present are senior officials from the African Union Commission, United Nations agencies, international organizations, and other key stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable development and climate resilience in Africa.

The Ugandan delegation to AMCEN-20 is led by Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, Chargé d’Affaires of the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi. She is accompanied by Dr. Barirega Akankwasa, Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and Ms. Juliet N. Kiggundu, First Secretary at the Mission.

AMCEN-20 serves as a high-level platform for Ministers and partners to coordinate Africa’s position on urgent environmental issues. It is also an important preparatory forum ahead of major global environmental summits, including the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UNFCCC, and the upcoming Biodiversity COP.