Shoukry participated via videoconference in the ministerial consultative meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the African members of the UNSC on Monday.

Shoukry highlighted the importance of African solidarity in facing the continent’s crises, especially terrorism and extremism, calling on the Security Council to support African initiatives in this regard.

The top Egyptian diplomat stressed Egypt’s belief in the vital role played by regional mechanisms and groupings in achieving security and stability in Africa as well as the role that the UNSC can play in supporting the security capabilities of these groupings and mechanisms.

Egypt is intensifying its efforts to support by every means the capacity building of African institutions in areas affected by terrorism, Shoukry said, including by organising training courses for the joint forces of the African peacekeeping missions.

Shoukry called for the continued coordination between the PSC and the three African members of the UNSC to support unified African interests and stances regarding continental security and peace.

On Saturday, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for formulating a clear African strategy to eliminate the danger of terrorism and extremism and dry up its sources of funding during a meeting of the AU Bureau of Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly made the remarks via video conference on El-Sisi’s behalf.

Egypt aims to support African countries by intensifying counterterrorism training to African cadres and by participating in UN peacekeeping efforts, a cabinet statement cited El-Sisi as saying.

This is in addition to Egypt’s continued efforts through the Cairo-based Sahel-Saharan Counterterrorism Centre, El-Sisi added.

The president expressed Egypt’s readiness to provide further support on the bilateral level as well as through AU mechanisms, the statement said.

During Monday’s meeting, Shoukry also affirmed the need to pay the necessary attention to the effect of climate change on Africa’s security and peace.

Egypt will seek to coordinate with African countries during its chairmanship of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to defend continental interests, highlight Africa’s unified stances, and raise African concerns regarding the negative implications of climate change, Shoukry added.

Late last year, Egypt was officially selected to host COP27 in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh as a representative of Africa.

In a November communiqué, the PSC pledged support to Egypt, as the host of the conference, to “advance African priorities and reach concrete actions on global climate change.”

In October, Egypt’s Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said COP27 would be a chance to voice African demands and to help the continent acquire the needed funds to implement climate adaptation plans.

El-Sisi participated in COP26 in November in Glasgow, where he hailed Africa as a “role model for serious climate action.”

Speaking during the conference, El-Sisi said Africa suffers the most from the negative consequences of climate crisis, even though it is not responsible for the phenomenon.