COP27 Signing Ceremony

Speech Delivered By Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt

September 27, 2022
UNDP/Ashraf Hamed

As prepared for delivery. 

Dear partners, colleagues and friends,

  • It is a great pleasure to be here with you today for the signing ceremony of this important 6.2-million-dollar project to support Egypt’s COP27 Presidency and its work towards the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
  • As all of us know by now, COP27 will bring together leaders from across the globe in a collective effort to make progress in international negotiations on climate change.
  • In the coming fifty days leading up to the conference, the Government of Egypt will be convening key parties to build momentum for a successful, inclusive and transparent process.
  • Preparing effectively for COP27 entails ensuring a high quality of inputs into the conference negotiations by mobilizing a large network of international and national climate-change experts and organizations at all levels.
  • We are honored that the Government of Egypt has called on UNDP’s expertise to support its efforts to make COP27 a success.
  • And we couldn’t be prouder of the strong partners who have joined with us on this journey.
  • In this regard, I would specifically like to thank the European Union, the governments of Denmark and Switzerland, and the African Climate Foundation, for their generous funding and continuous commitment to climate action.
  • UNDP has been a strategic partner in supporting COP presidencies and the UNFCCC negotiations process.
  • For example, we provided extensive support to the governments of Peru, Morocco, and Fiji in their respective presidencies of COP20, COP22 and COP23. This support included capacity-building, policy advice, strategy support, advocacy, and much more.
  • In Egypt, UNDP supported the government in hosting the 14th meeting of the Conference of the parties to the Biological Diversity Convention in November 2018. We also provided extensive expert assistance in the preparation of Egypt’s National Climate Change Strategy, which was announced at COP26 in Glasgow and launched just a few weeks ago.
  • Over the years, our support to Egypt has expanded to ensure the country’s full participation to global environmental efforts.
  • The new project we are launching today builds on all these prior efforts and experience.
  • As we prepare for COP27, this new project will help deliver technical support for presidency initiatives, including operational support.
  • The focus of project support will be on capacity-building for the Egyptian negotiation team and on mobilizing logistical and administrative resources to support preparatory and advocacy meetings led by the COP27 presidency.
  • We will also be focusing on a range of COP27-related activities, such as drafting dedicated studies and compiling best practices in climate mitigation, adaptation and finance from African and Arab States. Inputs will also be invited from dedicated coordinators and champions.
  • The project will further accelerate and showcase Egypt’s numerous achievements in climate action.
  • A major focus of our work this year will be on continuing to green Sharm El-Sheikh as the host city of COP27.
  • We have already started working together on this objective with public institutions and the private sector. For example, we have been cooperating with large hotels in the city to help them make the green transition to solar energy.
  • With this new project, we will be intensively supporting Sharm El-Sheikh in its ambition to become the main driver of energy transition in Egypt.
  • For example, we are helping to install small-scale PV systems in landmark buildings throughout the city, including the airport, the museum, the main hospital, and key government buildings. We will also help upgrade the LED/PV street lighting system, limit plastic waste, and promote e-mobility.
  • Last but not least, the project will strengthen regional capacities and knowledge for tackling climate security issues in the Middle East and Africa.
  • As climate action becomes ever more urgent with each passing day, the UNDP Country Office in Egypt remains strongly committed to continuing our close cooperation with the Government and our international partners to do more, to work faster and to turn words into actions.

Thank you for your attention!