Photo taken on May 20, 2022 shows a view of the central business district (CBD) in Egypt's new administrative captial. Photo:Xinhua

Egypt will position itself as an impartial arbiter while hosting 2022's COP27 UN climate summit, as it pushes other nations to act on climate pledges while promoting the interests of the developing world, a senior Egyptian official said in a statement.

Egypt, where unauthorized public demonstrations are banned, would also welcome protests within the rules of the November 7-18 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, said Wael Aboulmagd, special representative to the COP27 president.

A natural gas exporter, Egypt takes over presidency of the UN climate talks from Britain. 2021's summit in Glasgow, Scotland, ended with the nearly 200 countries in attendance promising to strengthen their climate pledges in 2022. 

Wealthy nations also disappointed many in Glasgow by saying they would not deliver the $100 billion per year promised from 2020 until 2023 to help developing countries with their energy transition and with adapting to a warming world. 

Delivering this financing is among Egypt's priorities for COP27. 

"There are issues that are of interest and priority to developing countries, and there are high expectations from us as a developing country to ensure that these issues are taken on board and that they achieve commensurate progress with how important they are," he said.

But Egypt also would seek to mediate between developed and developing countries that have clashed over issues including carbon emissions and climate financing, as it tries to help steer a move from pledges to action, Aboulmagd said.

Reuters