Crowning its leading contributions to sustainability efforts, Raya Holding for Financial Investments has joined the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow from Oct 31 to Nov 12. The annual conference (COP 26) was attended by world leaders, along with thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses and activists - who were invited to tackle climate change aspects and circumstances and developing an international framework for adopting innovative solutions.
 
 
 
Through its participation, Raya Holding took part in addressing the role of the private and industrial sectors in building climate resilience and countering climate change. Raya Holding’s representatives had taken part in two side events in the Egyptian pavilion to highlight the role of businesses and to create public-private partnership in scaling solutions towards climate action.
The first event was organized by the Environmental Compliance Office of Federation of Egyptian Industries under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment. In the session, Yasmine Sakr, the CSR Manager, has highlighted the industrial sector’s crucial role in facing climate change and showcased Raya Holding’s business case and achievements in sustainability and preserving the environment across its lines of businesses and various subsidiaries. Raya Holding’s direction towards sustainability and social responsibility comes as a part of Medhat Khalil’s, Raya Holding’s chairman initiative to support the goal of sustainable development, the preservation of the environment and the focus on corporate responsibility.
 
 
 
The second event - titled “Going Green: Developing an International Framework for Innovative Climate Financing’’ - was organized by the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation. The event was attended by high-level representatives, including H.E Dr.Rania Al-Mashat, H.E Dr.Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environmental Affairs, Minister of International Cooperation, Dr.Mahmoud Mohieldin,Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive director, International Monetary Fund and representitive of the Arab Group in the Executive Council and the UN Special Envoy  and representatives development partners' on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and other diplomats and leaders of key financial institutions. In the second session, Eng. Usama Zaki, CEO of Raya Manufacturing and Sustainability Committee Chair at Raya Holding, has highlighted Raya Holding’s achievements in promoting best environmental practices and industry standards. He also showed how Raya pioneered the recycling industry with BariQ and how it could develop strong public-private partnership with E-Tadweer application, a national campaign for recycling E-Waste under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment under the umbrella of UNDP.
 
 
 
 
Commenting on the participation, Ahmed Khalil, CEO of Raya Holding for Financial Investments, has expressed Raya’s gratitude for availing this opportunity to take part in the global event. “We are proud to be an Egyptian participant in COP26. It was a great opportunity to showcase how significant it is to work as one hand, through public-private sector cooperation, to achieve Egypt’s sustainable development goals agenda and Egypt’s Vision 2030.”
“Through Raya Holding’s lines of businesses, we have environmental sustainability as a top priority. As the industrial activities are among the top influencers for climate change, then if there was ever a time and a need for urgent actions and sincere cooperation, it must be now.”
Khalil added; “We deeply congratulate Egypt for being selected to host the UN Climate Change Conference COP 27, scheduled for November 2022, on behalf of the African continent”.
 
 
 
Zaki has also expressed his delight to take part in COP26. “This global conference is a great opportunity to discuss and act on limiting climate change. The environment has always been among our top priorities and the cornerstone of BariQ’s operations since its establishment by Raya Holding to introduce the new prospects of the recycling industry in Egypt,” he said.
 
 
 
He added, pointing to a key pillar or Raya’s Strategy in that regard, “AMAN a subsidiary of Raya Holding for Financial Investments–is targeted to have more corporate social responsibility initiatives. This aim aligns with values of environmental sustainability as well as the national efforts to achieve financial inclusion and helps empower the underprivileged populations.”
 
 
 
“At the conclusion of this global event, we would like to express our pride for the Egyptian active participation in COP26. We promise more efforts in that regard through our strategy and operations. With Egypt hosting COP27 in 2022, more promising efforts are in sight. We welcome fruitful partnerships and cooperation with the government in order to share experiences and success stories of businesses in mitigating climate change in the African continent, establishing south-to-south cooperation. This cooperation is targeted to flourish over the coming 12 months, in preparation for hosting COP27 on Egyptian soil.” Zaki added