Egypt’s FM highlights importance Egypt attaches to climate adaptation, mitigation issues

CAIRO – 20 June 2022: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry highlighted the importance Egypt attaches to climate adaptation and mitigation issues as he met with European Union’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.

Shoukry, also poresident-designate of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) met within the framework of his visit to Luxembourg to hold the EU-Egypt Association Council, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministers exchanged views on climate issues and issues of common concern to both sides on the regional and international levels.

During the meeting, Shoukry expressed appreciation for the ongoing dialogue between Egypt and the EU on the issues of climate change, energy and the transition towards a green economy, which are topics that have become an important focus of relations between the two sides.

This comes especially as Egypt will host and preside at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh next November, the statement said.

The recent visit of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Cairo and her meeting with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the resulting joint statement on climate, energy and green transformation are the best evidence of the existing and continuing partnership between the two sides, Shoukry said.

The top Egyptian diplomat expressed aspiration to activate what has been agreed upon between the two sides in this regard by financing specific projects in those areas.

The minister reviewed the results of his recent visit to the German city of Bonn in conjunction with the 56th session of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies. He highlighted the need for the positive political will expressed by various countries to be reflected at the level of technical negotiations in a way that enhances confidence between different countries and leads to the success of climate negotiations.

Shoukry highlighted the importance Egypt attaches to addressing losses and damages caused by climate change as well as to the issue of providing climate finance, especially for developing countries.

He highlighted the efforts of the Egyptian presidency of COP27 to ensure the achievement of the hoped-for results.