President El-Sisi witnessed on Tuesday 8/11/2022 the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) Climate Change Initiative (EMME-CCI).

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades took part in the session, on the fringe of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), held in Sharm El Sheikh from on November 6-18.

President El-Sisi delivered a speech

“In the name of Allah the Most Benevolent, the Most Merciful"

Your Excellency President Nicos Anastasiades,

President of Cyprus,

Your Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses

It is my pleasure to welcome you today in this important session, which is held in partnership between Egypt and Cyprus. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my dear friend, President Nicos Anastasiades, President of Cyprus, for his initiative to convene this session during the “Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit”. This stems from his keenness for our summit to result in outcomes that reinforce the principle of “Implementation”, around which we are gathered.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Egypt was keen on joining the “Climate Action Coordination Initiative in the Middle East and East Mediterranean” since its launch for the first time in 2019, based on its belief in the important role this initiative could have. It was part of efforts to coordinate policies to address climate change among the initiative’s member states, so as to contribute to enhancing climate action and strengthen efforts to counter its negative impacts in our regional milieu. The region, as you know, is among the areas most affected by the consequences of climate change and its devastating effects on all levels. This has become tangibly clear over the past few years, which have witnessed severe climatic events in the region, ranging from wildfires, to floods and torrents, which left formidable human and material losses.

You may agree with me that voluntary initiatives to mobilize support for efforts to combat climate change have become one of the most important mechanisms for global climate action, particularly as it has become clear that in spite of the primary responsibility of states and governments in this effort, other non-state actors could and even should play complementary and supportive roles based on their responsibilities and the principle of cooperation and participation. Therefore, these initiatives are important as they allow all parties to coordinate their policies and efforts.

In fact, what distinguishes this initiative from other initiatives and efforts, is its scientific component, which is an indispensable element if we seek our efforts to combat climate change to be consistent with the best science available. This places us on the right path toward the implementation of the Paris Agreement goals, including the target of 1.5 ° C.

Ladies and gentlemen,

During our meeting, I look forward to learning about what the initiative has been able to achieve since its launch until today. This includes the proposed Regional Action Plan, which I am confident will contribute to strengthening our joint efforts to address climate change in the region. I also look forward to hearing from the various experiences and expertise of the initiative's member states with regard to their efforts to address climate change at the national and regional levels.

I believe that we will emerge from today's discussion with a more profound understanding of the magnitude of the challenge our states are facing and the amount of efforts needed for us to counter it.

Thank you for listening

Addressing the Summit, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades affirmed that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi attaches great importance to confronting the adverse impacts of climate change, adding that Cyprus is committed to joining hands with all countries in confronting the climate change crisis.

The Cypriot president extended deep gratitude to President Sisi for his interest in COP27 UN Climate Change Conference.

He said Egypt's hosting of the climate conference reflects its keenness on the climate change issue and its repercussions.

He added that the climate change affects every country around the world, underling the need of exerting more efforts to put an end to reduce the risk of fires in forests, as well as to address the causes of drought and floods. 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asserted that the climate change affects all aspects of life.

Addressing the Summit, Jordan Prime Minister Bishr al Khasawnah said Jordan will take all measures needed to counter climate change, assuring that all measures would be taken without undermining national interests.