Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Development Programme, the European Union (EU), the African Climate Foundation, the Embassy of Denmark, the Embassy of Switzerland, and the Climate Emergency Cooperation Group convened for the second meeting of the Board of Directors of the $6.2 million project to support Egypt’s presidency of the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention Framework on Climate Change (COP27). According to a statement issued in a tweet on the website of the European Union Mission in Cairo on Twitter, the meeting of the mixed board of directors was hosted at the headquarters of the United Nations Development Program, in the presence of Ambassador Mohamed Nasr, Director of the Department of Climate, Environment and Sustainable Development, and Mr. Alessandro Fracacetti, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Egypt, Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of Mission of the European Union Delegation to Egypt, Counselor Heidi Bashir, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Machai McCaughey, COP27 Project Director, African Climate Foundation, Ms. Sarah Gottfriedsen, Chargé d’Affairs of the Embassy of Denmark in Egypt, and Ms. Michel Harari, Vice-President International Cooperation Office, Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt.
In its remarks, the Council highlighted the project's support for Egypt's COP27 presidency and its work towards implementing the Paris Agreement through initiatives in several priority areas, including renewable energy, climate change adaptation, and climate security. Through the joint project, some of these initiatives have been on topics such as Climate Response for Sustaining Peace (CRSP).
The project promoted tangible results in the host city. This was demonstrated by the greening initiative of Sharm El-Sheikh by banning single-use plastics, installing photovoltaic solar panels in hotels with an approximate total capacity of 3 megawatts, a convention center with a capacity of 1 megawatt, and car park at the airport. With a total capacity of 280 MW.
The project also contributed to the regeneration of Nabq and Ras Mohammed, bringing them to a new level of sustainable ecotourism.
With the support of the joint venture, the COP27 Presidency held several necessary meetings before, in and after the COP including the meetings of the African negotiators and the recent transitional meeting to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund.
  Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the EU Delegation to Egypt, said: “Despite the current economic challenges the world is facing, the EU continues to aspire to global progress, and climate action is certainly an area that the EU would like to see significant progress. Today's meeting aims to support the Presidency COP 27 To implement what has been agreed upon and ensure its acceptance at COP 28. The external dimension of the EU Green Deal aims to inspire EU partners to adapt and accelerate the new paradigm. A clean energy transition that brings just and sustainable recovery to our neighbourhood, etc. behind him."
At the Board meeting, the Resident Representative of UNDP in Egypt, Alessandro Fracacetti, said: “UNDP has called on partners to support the presidency team in achieving positive and tangible results. Through the joint project, we provided policy support, capacity building, and technical and logistical assistance in This is a critical juncture in our collective efforts against climate change. Thank you to our partners for their generous contributions."
Chargé d’Affaires of the Danish Embassy in Egypt, Sarah Gottfriedsen, said: “We are very pleased to see the results of this important joint project that supports the path of the Egyptian government’s presidency of the Conference of the Parties to not only work to accelerate global climate action and the green transition but to promote a sustainable and comprehensive response to climate in the region and beyond.”
Ms. Michel Harari, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Office at the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt, stated: “Switzerland is pleased to be part of this project, which has actively contributed to the successful organization of the COP27 conference, working alongside like-minded partners and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No Switzerland remains committed to supporting Egypt in its journey towards green growth.”
Dina Zayed of the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group, a project sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, said: “We are committed to continuing our support for any initiatives that sponsor and support the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund. The COP27 presidency plays an enormous role in helping to convene the Transition Committee meetings to ensure that the fund is designed equitably and with the highest level of impact. We are pleased to support these endeavors.”
The project will continue to support the COP27 Presidency Team until the handover of the COP Presidency at COP 28 in the UAE next November.