Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry — the President-Designate of the incoming United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP 27) — met on Monday with Patricia Espinosa, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in the German city of Bonn.
The meeting comes at the beginning of Shoukry’s visit to the headquarters of the Executive Secretariat of the UNFCCC.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez said that Shoukry praised the role of the UNFCCC secretariat in ensuring the success of COP 26 that was held in Glasgow.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed coordinating to mobilise the necessary momentum for the success of COP 27 in Egypt, by building on what was achieved during COP 26.
It was also emphasised that international efforts to address climate change should continue to be strengthened, particularly concerning reducing the adverse effects of climate change, adapting to it, and providing climate finance.
Furthermore, Shoukry briefed Espinosa on the efforts of the National High Committee that was formed to supervise the preparations for hosting COP 27.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister also discussed the size of the responsibility on Egypt’s shoulders to ensure the COP 27 becomes a turning point in leading international action in the field of combating climate change.
Moreover, he confirmed Egypt’s intention to live up to the expectations assigned to the next conference by ensuring that commitments and pledges are met, especially regarding efforts to adapt to the negative effects of climate change and financing the efforts of developing countries to build their resilience and to fulfil their commitments, in addition to taking concrete steps towards reducing global emissions.
For her part, Espinosa thanked Egypt for its efforts to ensure the success of the upcoming conference, stressing the secretariat’s hope to continue working with Egypt to bring the COP 27 to a successful conclusion.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold further meetings with officials of the Executive Secretariat of the convention as part of the ongoing preparations for Egypt to host COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November of this year.
