By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The United Nations’ Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) that Egypt will host from 7 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheik represents an opportunity for African countries to deliver their main message, which is that poorer countries bear the consequences of climate change despite their limited contribution to global emissions.
Moreover, they need more serious assistance to mitigate risks and damages and to achieve zero emissions targets that are “ambitious.”
In the past, Egypt’s goals in hosting such a world event were limited to just presenting its image and status to the world. Now, Egyptian thinking is propelled by national and global goals as much as the ambition of a greater Egypt.
Hamdi Sanad Loza, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for African Affairs, said in a statement to Daily News Egypt that Egypt attaches importance to the great international responsibility placed on it to lead the negotiations on the climate issue. He stressed Egypt’s keenness that the upcoming climate summit reflects the positions of African and developing countries, and turns promises and commitments into actions.
He added that the Egyptian ministries and authorities responsible for organising the conference are working as an integrated working group to come up with a distinguished Egyptian version of the COP that advances the Egyptian vision in leading global climate action and takes into account the interests of all countries and parties.
He noted that the ministry has held a series of consultations with a group of different countries and parties to hear their views on various issues related to climate change.
Loza explained that meetings were held by representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Environment with the United States, Russia, Japan, Zambia, and other like-minded countries.
He said that an evaluation was made of the results of the last session of the conference, which was held in Glasgow last November, and the ongoing preparations for holding the next session in Egypt.
During the consultations, the Egyptian side stressed the need to move towards implementing the various commitments made in the framework of the negotiations, while other countries, for their part, affirmed their full support for the Egyptian presidency to ensure the success of the COP27.
A high committee was formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and comprised ministers and relevant government agencies to formulate specialised action plans to prepare for the summit in all aspects, with periodic follow-up reports in this regard.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is following all the arrangements related to this huge international event and has expressed his keenness in presenting to the world the great progress that Egypt is witnessing in the field of the environment and transitioning to clean energy.