In accordance with paragraph 1 of article 9 of its Constitution, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) holds its ordinary sessions once every two or three years. An offer by the Government of Senegal to host the eighteenth session was accepted by the Conference at its seventeenth session, held in Durban, South Africa, from 11 to 15 November 2019. In view of the situation caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and after consultation with the Bureau of the Conference, it was agreed that the eighteenth session of AMCEN should be held in two parts. The first part of the session will be held online, with a streamlined agenda, to address urgent and procedural matters. Substantive matters that require in-depth negotiations will be deferred to a resumed, in-person meeting of the session, to be held in Senegal in 2022, on a date to be agreed upon.