President of the European Council Charles Michel has welcomed a call by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, that is taking its toll on all world countries.
Speaking to MENA on Wednesday morning on the fringe of the UN Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) COP27, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Michel said Egypt is a key and an important partner of the European Union (EU) in the region.
Relations between the two sides are “constructive and positive”, Michel said, highly appreciating bilateral co-operation in all fields.
He also praised the political dialogue between the EU and Cairo, as well as co-operation to counter terrorism and maintain security.
Michel touched upon direct communication with President Sisi and Egyptian officials in a bid to solve the food and energy crisis that resulted from the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The EU acted with a number of countries to support efforts of the UN to open a Black Sea security corridor to facilitate exports of agricultural products and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia, he said.
The EU also opened alternative routes to allow its member states to export foodstuffs as soon as possible, Michel added.
The European official also talked about efforts to counter “an energy attack” that was carried out by Russia against Europe, noting that the bloc is working with a number of partners, including Egypt, with the aim to diversify sources of energy supplies.
The EU is discussing with Egypt and other countries in the region co-operation projects to diversify sources of energy, Michel said. This is an important matter not just for Europe but for all the partners, he stressed.
Asked about the COP27, the European official thanked Egypt for its efforts to prepare for the conference, that focuses on implementing pledges of developed countries toward developing nations.
The EU did honor its annual commitment, worth 100 billion dollars, set to face repercussions of climate change, Michel noted.
He stressed the need to have a “transparent mechanism” to assess what other parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) do regarding their pledges.
Transparency, truth and clarity should always serve as the base for any international political discussion or dialogue, Michel said.
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