El-Sisi made the remarks on Sunday during the Africa Blue Economy Strategy session as part of the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM) of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Mechanisms and African Union Member States held in Nairobi, Kenya.

In his speech, El-Sisi said the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), hosted by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh last November, has reflected the commitment to deal seriously with climate challenges.

“However, what has been achieved on the ground is less than the required,” El-Sisi stressed.

The president highlighted the African needs for implementing economic transformation, redirecting sectors like energy, transportation and agriculture and preserving biodiversity and the ecosystems, while also achieving the sustainable development goals.

Egypt’s vision for transformation
 

El-Sisi presented Egypt’s vision about what is needed to achieve economic transformation:

First: The required environment for the quick implementation of projects and programmes to reduce emissions and increase access to renewable energy must be provided.

Second: Fair tracks and programmes for transformation in various fields must be formulated.

Third: Equity and justice must be the focus. The required transformation must take into consideration economic and social aspects. Unilateral measures that impact international trade flows must be avoided, especially with regard to exports of the developing and African states.

Fourth: Climate justice, funding arrangements, the loss and damage fund and adaptation financing are requirements. Moreover, the burden shouldered by African states must be acknowledged and their societies must be supported in the face of the negative effects of climate change.

Fifth: Regional cooperation must be enhanced to ensure the development of capabilities for preserving shared ecosystems and also to ensure that the states achieve integrated benefits and contain any negative transboundary effects.

Sixth: A supportive international environment must be secured. This includes concessional and adequate financing. This should take place consistently with national ownership, while not resulting in a decrease in the funding necessary for eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development.

Seventh: Debt and the high cost of financing must be dealt with effectively. This includes innovative solutions such as debt swap mechanisms and reviewing and writing-off extra fees and interests.

In a separate session, El-Sisi said that Egypt, during its current chairmanship of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency (NEPAD) prioritizes intensifying efforts with international partners and financing organizations to find effective solutions to tackle the accumulated debt crisis.

As chair of the NEPAD, Egypt’s priorities over the next two years also include continuing efforts to mobilise funding resources in priority areas, especially infrastructure, as well as efforts to enhance the role of the industrial sector in the African states, El-Sisi said.

Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and continuing the mobilization of the necessary resources for the Triple Peace-Security-Development Nexus programme are also among Egypt’s priorities, El-Sisi added.

COP28, climate justice
 

In the Africa Blue Economy Strategy session, El-Sisi said he is confident that the upcoming climate conference (COP28) in the UAE will be a tangible step on the fair and just path to protect the planet from the disastrous implications of climate change.

El-Sisi invited the African countries to join the Global Renewable Hydrogen Forum initiative, which Egypt launched during its presidency of COP27.

“I look forward to cooperating with you all so that the African and developing countries continue to direct the international agenda toward enhancing international cooperation in the face of this existential challenge embodied by climate change,” El-Sisi stated.