Egypt says 6 round-tables for heads of state to be set ‘for more political engagement’ in COP 27, urges them 'to put differences aside'

CAIRO- 28 September 2022: Besides the Leaders' summit at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2022 (COP 27) due to be held in Sharm El Sheikh city on November 6-18, six round-tables would be held for the heads of state for more political engagement, said Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd, Special Representative of the COP27 President, in a media briefing on the update on the road to COP27 and the vision for the COP27 Presidency, on Wednesday.

He called upon the heads of the state to come and “put their political differences aside to mainly face the “real existential threat of climate change.”

The Ambassador continued that the war of Ukraine has impacted energy in Europe, global efforts regarding climate action, and its agenda, and has also had an indirect impact on food and energy, calling for taking speed action to address the climate-related issues as delaying would make the matter much harder.

He expressed his aspiration that the conference would result in progress on mitigation and adaptation programs and a satisfactory program on the loss and damage of climate change.

Aboulmagd said that Egypt is keen on exerting tremendous efforts to ensure the participation of the Climate Change NGOs from Egypt and Africa, adding that Egypt managed with the UNFCCC Secretariate to facilitate their physical presence. He noted that more than 25/30 Egyptian NGOs besides dozens of African ones would participate in the conference. In Mid-September, Human Rights Watch accused the Egyptian authorities of “undermining” the works of the Egyptian environment organizations.

The ambassador affirmed that hotels, even with 2 or 3 starts, have a sufficient number of rooms for the participants, besides the availability of hostels in the area for thousands of people.

He continued that Egypt is aware of the problems of Africa as it chaired the African Union in 2018/2019 and would “would achieve maximum progress” for the African countries, adding that a number of the initiatives would be used and launched. He also affirmed that these efforts would not be at the expense of other continents. “Africa has a great expectation,” he said.

The Egyptian authorities are working around the clock to host, on behalf of the African continent, the COP 27. This year's international gathering aims to establish legally binding commitments for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Egypt focuses on urgent and priority issues in the African continent, in particular, and in developing countries in general, such as adaptation and climate finance.