Egypt s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks with John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate via video, 8 February 2022. Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a video call on Tuesday, Shoukry, also the COP27 president-designate, and Kerry highlighted the importance of activating the joint action group in accordance with the outcomes of the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Shoukry and Kerry addressed cooperation between Egypt and the US regarding facing climate change ahead of Egypt’s scheduled hosting of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in November this year in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.
The US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, held in November last year for the first time since 2015, agreed on the formation of the joint working group on climate change and reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to cooperate closely on climate issues.
During the phone call, Shoukry affirmed to Kerry that Egypt, during its presidency of COP27, will work on achieving outcomes that reflect the international ambitions in the face of climate change with giving a special importance to supporting developing countries, especially in Africa, the statement said.
In November 2021, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on developed countries during a speech delivered to the Glasgow conference to fulfill their pledge to provide $100 billion annually to developing countries to address the repercussions of climate change and to allocate at least half of all public climate finance to adaptation measures.
Shoukry told Kerry that Egypt, as president of COP27, will seek to build on momentum achieved during COP26 in Glasgow to enhance international action against climate change at all levels, especially regarding adaptation to the negative impacts of climate change and the funding of developing countries in this regard.
Egypt is counting on the US support to achieve these desired goals, Shoukry told Kerry.
Shoukry and Kerry affirmed the importance of continued consultations and coordination between the Egyptian and US sides regarding the climate file, especially in light of the strategic relations binding the two countries, the statement said.
The top Egyptian diplomat also highlighted the investment opportunities available to the US companies in the sectors of renewable energy and green economy in Egypt amid the achievements made by the Egyptian government in the transition to a green economy.
Late in January, Egypt’s Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad and Kerry discussed the Egyptian-US cooperation programme within the framework of Egypt's National Climate Change Strategy 2050.
The strategy was launched in November on the sidelines of COP26 to achieve five objectives, including fostering climate change action governance, increasing sustainable economic growth, strengthening adaptation and resilience, and enhancing scientific research.
In January, Shoukry said Cairo will focus on meeting the obligations of the Paris Agreement on climate change and explore how the private sector and NGOs can play a role in financing green investments during COP27.
Shoukry made the remarks during a forum organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham) on Monday held under the title Building Momentum to the UN COP 27… Strengthening Public-Private Sector Collaboration on Climate Challenge.
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