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Egypt Calls for Taking ‘Serious Steps’ to Limit Climate Change Impact

Sameh Shoukry during his participation in the World Sustainable Development Summit (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Sameh Shoukry during his participation in the World Sustainable Development Summit (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
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Egypt Calls for Taking ‘Serious Steps’ to Limit Climate Change Impact

Sameh Shoukry during his participation in the World Sustainable Development Summit (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Sameh Shoukry during his participation in the World Sustainable Development Summit (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)

Egypt has called for taking serious steps to limit the negative effects of climate change globally.

This came during the participation of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS), which was organized by India’s Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) via video-conference on Thursday.

President of the upcoming Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) said the summit should represent a turning point in global climate action by turning vows into actions, whether on reducing emissions, adapting to the negative effects of climate change, or securing the financing needed to address the climate change crisis in developing countries.

He underlined the importance of raising the level of ambitions on climate action by urging various parties to update their nationally determined contributions to mitigate emissions that lead to climate change.

Shoukry further called for encouraging countries that have not yet submitted their contributions to the Executive Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to do so in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

He underscored in this regard “the importance of responding to the science’s best findings on climate change, according to reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”

According to a foreign ministry statement, Shoukry stressed the need to empower the youth and civil society and engage them in global climate action.

Shoukry emphasized the need to assist and listen to complaints of the groups most affected by the consequences of climate change, which requires taking serious steps to limit the damage associated with the climate crisis.

He said Cairo will carry on its efforts with all parties concerned with global climate action to build confidence and ensure all parties’ comprehensive participation.

Participants extended their congratulations to Egypt for being chosen to host the COP27 Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh at the end of 2022, according to the statement.

They expressed confidence in Egypt’s ability to make the event a success, reflecting the great progress and national efforts it has made in the field of environmental protection and the transition to clean energy.

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Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
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Sudan Arms Surge Raises Alarms Over Civilian Protection

Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)
Sudan says it destroyed 50,000 explosive remnants of war (AFP)

A surge in deadly violence has gripped the quiet northern town of al-Dabbah, exposing the growing threat posed by the rampant spread of weapons across Sudan in the absence of effective state control.

At least eight people were killed over just two days, four in tribal clashes and four others in a street fight within the town.

The latest bloodshed comes amid a broader climate of insecurity, where gunfire has become a common soundscape. In nearby Omdurman, social media users circulated graphic footage of a young man shot dead in cold blood after resisting an attempt to steal his mobile phone.

Reports of killings and injuries from arguments and brawls settled with bullets have flooded social platforms, painting a grim picture of lawlessness. Armed robbery gangs are said to roam freely, terrorizing civilians with no security forces in sight.

As Sudan’s brutal conflict enters its third year, guns have become as commonplace in towns and villages as household items. What was once settled with fists or sticks is now resolved through the barrel of a gun.

Tens of thousands of civilians have reportedly armed themselves, citing the need for self-defense amid state collapse and the disintegration of law enforcement.

Even before the war erupted, estimates suggested around 2.2 million firearms were circulating in Sudan’s conflict zones. Since then, the figure is believed to have ballooned, with unofficial estimates placing the current number at nearly six million, most acquired privately or informally.

In al-Dabbah, local authorities confirmed tribal clashes erupted between members of the Kababish and Hawaweer tribes, leaving four dead and others wounded before security forces intervened. The following day, a quarrel between vehicle drivers escalated into a gunfight, claiming four more lives.

Meanwhile, in the Omdurman district of Al-Hattana, gunmen fatally shot a man while attempting to snatch his phone, another grim scene that social media brought into public view.

Weapons have now flooded Sudan’s markets. Eyewitnesses and former security officials say that under the brief control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, firearms were openly sold on the street like vegetables, with prices starting at just 20,000 Sudanese pounds, roughly $10.

Security experts say this gun chaos is not a sudden phenomenon but the product of years of unchecked proliferation.

Under former President Omar al-Bashir, weapons were distributed to tribal militias to fight opposing groups. With the eruption of nationwide conflict, arms have spread from the traditional battlegrounds of Darfur and Kordofan to cities in Sudan’s north, east, and center.

Legal analyst Moaz Hadra warned of the growing dangers of “random arming,” saying some groups are being trained and armed outside Sudan to destabilize the country. “Why are these groups being trained abroad instead of within Sudan’s military institutions?” he asked when speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Officials Downplay Risk, Citing Self-Defense

Despite mounting violence, Sudanese security and military officials continue to downplay the threat. They argue that most weapons are held by civilians for self-protection against RSF attacks or roaming bandits. “Should a citizen wait helplessly while armed men storm his home?” one commentator asked rhetorically.

Brigadier General Fath al-Rahman al-Toum, a police spokesman, dismissed fears of total lawlessness, saying that gun crackdowns are ongoing and that firearms possession is being treated as an exceptional situation under extraordinary circumstances.

Others, like Brigadier General Saleh Abdullah, insist that once the war ends, collecting the weapons will be “very easy,” noting that most guns were distributed under strict regulations to reserve forces and can be retrieved using serial numbers registered to each piece. “The army has always managed its weapons according to clear protocols,” he said.

Major General Mujahid Ibrahim added that Sudan’s porous borders, particularly in the west, have made it easier for arms to enter the country unchecked, exacerbating the crisis. Still, military officials say weapons loaned to civilians can be recovered thanks to detailed logs and unique identifiers.

Yet, as al-Dabbah and Omdurman reel from fresh bouts of violence, the gap between official reassurance and on-the-ground chaos continues to widen. With Sudan’s civil war showing no sign of abating, the unchecked spread of guns threatens to tear apart what remains of the country’s fragile social fabric.