Egypt’s NCHR refutes HRW report, says NGO’s participation at COP27 expanded

CAIRO – 17 September 2022: Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights has refuted a report by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) claiming that Egypt has undermined environmental NGOs willing to partake in the Climate Change Conference of the UN (COP27), which the country will host in November.

In remarks to Extra News, Ezzat Ibrahim, a member of the NCHR, said Egypt has approved the participation of 56 NGOs from Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa to participate in the conference and play an effective role in its side discussions in the Green Zone.

Egypt has “expanded the participation of the environmental NGOs and civil society groups so that they can perform a real role in the discussions in Sharm El-Sheikh, Ibrahim said, affirming that the discussions will be of extreme importance to the destiny of the planet and to the fight against climate change.

Ibrahim refuted the report of the HRW, saying it relies on unnamed sources and NGOs and ignores the Egyptian state’s transparent way of dealing with this file.

“There is a desire by some organisations to disrupt the global summit whose preparations are going successfully … and cause side problems related to the participations of the civil society,” Ibrahim said.

Egypt is preparing to host COP27 between 6 and 18 November and has been keen to build on the success of Glasgow summit (COP26) in a bid to turn climate pledges into actions.

In many occasions, the Egyptian officials have affirmed keenness to expand the participation of NGOs in the conference and ensure freedom of expression in the face of the climate change file during the discussions.

Ahead of the conference, the Egyptian government has announced creating the Green Zone allocated to enable business community, youth, civil and indigenous societies, academia, artists and fashion communities from all over the world to partake in the activities of the conference.

“In the Green Zone, we are offering a number of spaces for our COP27 partners, private sector organizations, civil society and NGOs, academia, artists and fashion. We believe that the Green Zone is the showcase hub of innovation and climate action,” the COP27 presidency says.