Mohieldin was speaking to the Middle East News Agency (MENA) on the sidelines of the Arab Regional Forum on Climate Initiatives to Finance Climate Action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), held in Lebanon, as Egypt gears up to host the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November. 

He explained that this is the first time in the history of the climate summits where the host focuses on the regional dimension of preparation.

The Egyptian Presidency of COP27 in cooperation with the UN via UN regional committees and UN high-level climate champions launched the initiative to hold five regional forums on several continents to prepare for the conference in Sharm El-Sheikh in July. 

The first forum was held in Addis Ababa, the second in Bangkok, the third in Santiago, the fourth, on Thursday, in Beirut, and the fifth is slated to be hosted in Geneva.

The outcomes of the five meetings will be announced during COP27. 

Mohieldin said that he will focus during the Lebanon forum on reviewing databases and listening to proposed projects, especially in the field of reducing emissions and adaption to their harmful impacts. 

The Lebanon forum gathers Arab public and private sector parties to discuss the means to accelerate the finance of climate work. It will also tackle Arab countries' financial needs to secure water, energy, and food in light of changing climate circumstances.

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat is participating in the forum in Lebanon.

More to follow ...