Egypt's FM heads to Gabon

CAIRO – 27 August 2022: Minister of Foreign Affairs and COP 27 President-Designate Sameh Shokry headed Sunday to Gabon, hosting Africa Climate Week 2022 running between August 29 and September 2.

The minister also plans on holding meetings with Gabonese senior officials to discuss bilateral cooperation in various fields, and exchange views on continental and international issues of joint interest.

The president-designate of COP 27 had asserted earlier in August that the ultimate goal of the coming summit, taking place in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7-18, is "implementation."

The minister had noted that, "In Glasgow, we succeeded in concluding the extensive negotiations to operationalize the Paris Agreement. In COP 27, we must set our attention on the full implementation of the agreement and on the delivery of the various commitments and pledges made."

In June, Minister Shokry met the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) in Germany's Bonn on the sidelines of the 56th session of the subsidiary bodies of the framework convention (UNFCCC).

The minister said that Egypt, host of COP 27, is keen on making African concerns pertaining to climate change on top of the list of priority topics.

That is because although the continent's share in emissions is the lowest, it is the most hit by the impact of climate change. What makes the situation more precarious is that African states face difficulties to obtain the climate funding necessary to achieve adaptation and mitigation.

Minister Shokry added that Egypt is equally eager to accomplish consensus among all parties involved in climate action, particularly on the front of mitigation and adaptation.

Another priority highlighted by COP 27 president designate is the fulfillment of climate pledges, and those consist of national contributions as well as commitments vowed by different parties.