Egypt's Minister of Local Development and Environment, Manal Awad, represented President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya, Turkey. The summit, held on November 11 and 12, focused on achieving a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future. Awad emphasized the need for affordable climate finance for developing countries and a shift from pledges to delivery. The two-day event was attended by representatives of 95 countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Awad outlined Egypt's priorities for the conference, which include expanding clean electricity, moving away from fossil fuels, providing affordable climate finance for developing countries, and strengthening resilience to global warming. Financial and technical support for developing countries was a top agenda item, with growing calls to speed up funding for adaptation, loss and damage, and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The opening sessions explored the links between climate change and food security, agriculture, and public health.
Egypt is presenting its vision for "just climate action" at the summit. Awad participated in a session with African environment ministers and the D-8 group of developing countries, and held bilateral meetings to promote green investment. The conference, running from November 9 to 20, is the first UN climate conference to be led under a shared arrangement agreed at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, last year. This arrangement ended a long standoff between Turkey and Australia, both of which had bid to host the 2026 talks.
Under the shared arrangement, Turkey hosts the conference and holds the presidency through its environment minister, Murat Kurum, while Australia's climate and energy minister, Chris Bowen, serves as "President of Negotiations". Kurum aims to focus on turning existing climate commitments into action rather than setting new targets. The presidency is drafting an Antalya Declaration for leaders to endorse. The leaders' summit was held on the third and fourth days of the conference to give political momentum to the negotiators.
Leaders who did not speak during the summit will deliver their national statements on November 17 and 18. Egypt hosted COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, where countries agreed to set up a fund for loss and damage suffered by vulnerable nations. Awad's participation in the summit highlights Egypt's continued commitment to addressing climate change.
The COP31 conference is being held at the Antalya Expo Centre, and a pre-COP meeting was held in Fiji in October to give Pacific states a greater voice. The conference aims to build on the momentum from previous climate talks and achieve concrete action on climate change. Egypt's call for affordable climate finance is a key aspect of this effort.
The outcome of the summit and the negotiations at COP31 will be closely watched by countries around the world. Egypt's participation and leadership in the conference reflect its growing role in international climate efforts. The conference will conclude on November 20, with a focus on implementing climate action and achieving a sustainable future.
Key points
- Egypt's Minister of Local Development and Environment, Manal Awad, called for affordable climate finance for developing countries at the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya, Turkey.
- The COP31 conference aims to turn existing climate commitments into action, with a focus on expanding clean electricity, moving away from fossil fuels, and strengthening resilience to global warming.
- Egypt hosted COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, where countries agreed to set up a fund for loss and damage suffered by vulnerable nations.
