Egypt will speak up for African ambitions to face the impact of climate change during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which Egypt will host in November, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said on Sunday.
Shoukri made the remarks as he participated yesterday in a meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).
This came on the second day of the 35th African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said on Twitter.
The harsh climate phenomena over the past few years remind us of the clear impact of climate change on Africa although it is the least contributor to carbon emissions, Shoukri said.
He also referred to the limited climate financing from which Africa benefits in addition to its limited technological capabilities to cope with the repercussions of climate change.
He lauded the outcome of COP26, noting that there is still a lot to do to confront climate change.
He said Egypt will build on the results of COP26 and exert all possible efforts to move on to put relevant agreements into effect.
The foreign minister added that Egypt – as the chair of the COP27 – adopts a comprehensive mechanism taking into consideration priorities of various parties.
Meanwhile, Shoukri stressed Egypt’s keenness on achieving stability in Somalia, highlighting the historical ties between the two countries, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hafez said.
He said Egypt spares no effort to help overcome the challenges facing the African countries to achieve the African peoples’ goals and aspirations towards a better future.
During his meeting yesterday with Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Mr Abdisaid Muse Ali on the sidelines of the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa, Shoukri said Egypt is looking forward to a swift consensus among various Somalian parties to complete the national elections there, to support stability and development in the country, Hafez added.
Shoukri highlighted the importance of the arrangements of the AU Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in post-2021 on an overall approach that is not only confined to the security and military dimensions, but extends to cover building state institutions, reconstruction, economy and development, Hafez said.
Egypt is hosting a conference next month for all regional and international partners on the post-2021 arrangements in Somalia.
The top diplomat reviewed Egypt’s vision and efforts to promote peace and security in Africa.
In this context, Shoukri praised the launch of the Africa Union Centre for Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Cairo in December 2021.
He noted that the centre would be the executive arm of the post-conflict reconstruction and development policy adopted by the AU.
He stressed the need for a joint action to identify the real causes behind the internal turmoil that some African countries are witnessing in light of the security and economic problems they are facing, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hafez said.
Shoukri clarified that there are many commonalities in the ways of dealing with Africa’s various challenges to peace and security despite of the varying context of each conflict and hotbed of tension in the continent.
The foreign minister stressed the need to strengthen the national governments’ institutional structures and formulate a clear African strategy to eliminate the threat of extremism and terrorism.
The two-day assembly of the 55 AU member states reviewed various reports in three sessions: one on Peace, Security and Governance; another on African Citizen Well-Being: Health, Nutrition and Food Security, and third session on Regional Integration through Green Inclusive and Resilient Economic Recovery.
