Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry represented Egypt as the chair of the COP27 climate conference at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week 2023, which runs from 8 to 12 October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Shoukry gave a speech at the opening session of the event, along with Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Energy, and Sultan Al-Jaber, president-designate of the COP28 climate conference.
Ahmed Abouzaid, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry expressed his pride in leading the Arab region in the multilateral climate negotiations for two consecutive years.
He highlighted Egypt’s successful hosting and leadership of the previous climate negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, which achieved historic outcomes that support global efforts to tackle the climate challenge.
He said that the Sharm el-Sheikh conference reaffirmed many principles, such as common but differentiated responsibilities, equity, the right to development, and climate justice.
Shoukry also discussed the challenges faced by the negotiation process, and mentioned the Egyptian presidency’s efforts to establish and launch the loss and damage fund during the COP27 conference, as well as to initiate a program on fair transition pathways to ensure the consideration of the economic and social dimensions.
The foreign minister outlined the efforts of the Egyptian presidency to reach a balance between rights and obligations and scientific recommendations and responsibilities.
Shoukry expressed his confidence in the comprehensive and aware vision of the UAE presidency of the COP28 conference on international climate issues.
