EGYPT’S assumption of the current presidency of the African Peace and Security Council will highlight the country’s keenness to consolidate its contribution to the furtherance of pan-African action, be it in the realm of promoting continental security and stability or in pushing forward the common African drive to realise socio-economic growth and sustainable development within the framework of the African Union’s relevant visions and instruments. Chairing the PSC, the continent’s standing mechanism for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, comes also in pursuance of the country’s established role as a peace-maker and peacekeeper at both regional and international levels. Allusion may be made in this connection to Egypt’s active participation in international peace-keeping operations and activities as so evidenced by the country’s ranking as one of the largest contributors to UN blue beret troops. Of equal importance was Egypt’s election to the Africa seat in the United Nations Security Council for the two-year term 2016-2018 as well as Egypt’s 2019 presidency of the African Union which witnessed the proclamation, in an extraordinary summit conference in Niamey, of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a major asset for the realisation of economic growth and prosperity, two of the essential foundations of security, stability and development continent-wide.
In the context of its overall interest in in formulating timely and efficient responses to crisis situations that affect the common security of countries of the continent, the issue of climate change would receive due PSC attention and consideration, as Egypt’s permanent representative to the AU, Ambassador M Gad indicated in a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry as Egypt assumed its presidency of the council. A special PSC session on this matter would instrumental in outlining a common African re-appraisal of climate change’s adverse effects on the security and stability of the continent especially in light of the grave consequences of such effects on environment, habitation and other forms of life. The projected session would help bolster the continent’s presentation of its vision on climate change to the world especially in light of Egypt’s aspiration as President Sisi expressed in his speech at the Glasgow summit (COP26) on October 31, to host, in the name of Africa, the next world summit Conference of the Parties (COP27).
Also within the framework of Africa’s drive to draw wider world attention to the pressures that climate change applies on its drive to achieve sustainable development came the discussion panel that the AU organised as a COP26 side event. Themed: “Opportunities and Challenges for African Energy Transition: What will it take for Africa to reach net-zero emissions?” the event sought to bring under highlight the continent’s seriousness in walking its own distance in global climate change action by designing a strategy for energy transition as part of the building the capacity to pursue climate adaptation programmes.
