Egypt

‘Little disappointment’ over COP27 ‘unwarranted’: Egypt’s FM at Rome MED Dialogues

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said “little disappointment” expressed by some parties over the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh last month is “unwarranted” given that the $100 billion commitment has not been met.

Shoukry made the remarks during his speech at the eighth edition of the Rome 2022 MED Mediterranean Dialogues held in Rome with the participation of foreign ministers of Mediterranean countries.

“I believe Sharm El-Sheikh has followed through on the slogan in terms of implementation. There was implementation on all of the fronts,” Shoukry said.

Shoukry, however, stressed that since 2009 the commitment of provision of $100 billion has not been fulfilled and continues not to be fulfilled.

“There has been some who have expressed little disappointment but I think this disappointment is unwarranted especially in view of the fact that those who have indicated that disappointment that was not enough done in terms of mitigation do not take into account that there is quite a deficiency when it comes to their fulfillment of their obligation,” Shoukry said.

A number of parties, including the European Union (EU), have expressed their “disappointment” over the COP27 outcomes.

The final deal “does not bring enough added efforts from major emitters to increase and accelerate their emissions cuts,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission at the end of the summit.

Timmermans added that the COP27 deal “does not bring a higher degree of confidence that we will achieve the commitments made under the Paris Agreement and in Glasgow last year.”

Loss and damage fund

The main achievement of COP27 in Egypt has been the loss and damage fund which has been established, Shoukry said.

“This is an objective that has been in the making for the last 27 or 28 years. We have been able to incorporate it on the agenda of COP27, Shoukry said, affirming that the actual initiation of the establishment of the fund has been main objective of the vast majority of developing states over these last two decades.

Shoukry expressed hope that the operation on mechanisms for the fund will be put in place within this year and that the fund will be supported so as to provide necessary assistance to the most vulnerable,” Shoukry said.

This is “whether in Pakistan or in even Europe or in US or in South Africa, where turbulent weather events have really had very severe impact,” the foreign minister added.