Egyptian Government Says COP27 Top Priority

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Sunday with COP26 President Alok Sharma in Cairo (Egyptian Government)
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Sunday with COP26 President Alok Sharma in Cairo (Egyptian Government)
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Egyptian Government Says COP27 Top Priority

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Sunday with COP26 President Alok Sharma in Cairo (Egyptian Government)
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Sunday with COP26 President Alok Sharma in Cairo (Egyptian Government)

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held talks Sunday with Alok Sharma, President of the 26th session of the Climate Summit, which was held in Glasgow, UK last year, to discuss ways of cooperation, a statement by his office said.

The Egyptian government has increased preparations for the COP27 Climate Summit, which it will host in Sharm el-Sheikh at the end of 2022.

Madbouly underlined the importance of Egyptian-British relations and ongoing cooperation between the two countries, especially in climate change.

“Egypt would build on what was achieved in Glasgow and turn words into action, especially with regards to lowering emissions and providing necessary funding to help developing nations cope up with climate changes,” Madbouly said.

He pointed out that an expanded session of discussion was held in Sharm el-Sheikh last week as part of the World Youth Forum to discuss ways of fighting climate change. The PM had pledged that his country would increase the use of renewable energy by 300 percent.

Madbouly said COP27 is a chance to push for the demands of African nations and set timetables to meet national obligations in lowering harmful emissions.

He then underlined the importance of providing necessary funding to these nations to be able to address the negative repercussions of climate change.

For his part, Sharma thanked Egypt for continued cooperation with the UK during COP26 conference, expressing readiness to share necessary expertise and offer all needed support to render the COP27 conference a success.



Tunisia Detains Prominent Lawyer Souab

Members of the honor guard stand at attention during a flag-raising in place of Kasba in Tunis, Tunisia, June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
Members of the honor guard stand at attention during a flag-raising in place of Kasba in Tunis, Tunisia, June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
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Tunisia Detains Prominent Lawyer Souab

Members of the honor guard stand at attention during a flag-raising in place of Kasba in Tunis, Tunisia, June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
Members of the honor guard stand at attention during a flag-raising in place of Kasba in Tunis, Tunisia, June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi

Tunisian police on Monday detained Ahmed Souab, a prominent lawyer and fierce critic of the country's president, lawyers told Reuters, raising human rights groups' concerns that a crackdown on dissent will go ahead.

Souab is among the lawyers acting for opposition leaders who received lengthy prison sentences on Saturday on conspiracy charges.

Souab strongly criticized the judge and the trial on Friday, calling it a farce and saying the judiciary had been completely destroyed.

"It seems he was detained because of his critical comments on the trial on Friday," said Samir Dilou, one of Souab's lawyers. Two others lawyers confirmed the detention.

Political parties rejected the rulings, saying they were retaliatory after a trial aimed at cementing President Kais Saied's authoritarian rule.

Rights groups say Saied has had full control over the judiciary since he dissolved parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree. He dissolved the independent Supreme Judicial Council and sacked dozens of judges in 2022.

"The mass conviction of dissidents...is a disturbing indication of the authorities' willingness to go ahead with its crackdown on peaceful dissent," the human rights group Amnesty International said.

Those convicted included prominent leaders of the Islamist Ennahda party, the main opposition party to Saied.

Ennahda Vice President, Noureddine Bhiri received a 43-year prison sentence, while the court sentenced two senior party officials, Said Ferjani and Sahbi Atig, to ​​13 years each.

The largest sentence was 66 years for businessman Kamel Ltaif, while opposition politician Khyam Turki received a 48-year sentence.