Egypt

Egypt to build city on artificial island to protect Alexandria

Al Monitor

The plans for the first city on an artificial island in the Mediterranean Sea represent a bid to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change on the Delta.

A picture shows a partial aerial view of the man-made Palm Jumeirah island built by Nakheel property giant off the coast of the Gulf emirate of Dubai on Dec. 17, 2009. - MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP via Getty Images

 

November 27, 2022

CAIRO — During a meeting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Nov. 15, senior Egyptian officials discussed the establishment of the first-of-its-kind city called “New Abu Qir” on an artificial island off the coast of Alexandria in the Mediterranean.

The meeting came on the sidelines of the UN climate summit COP27 that Egypt hosted in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh from Nov. 6 to Nov. 18. 

Preparations on the new city coincide with reports that the Nile Delta region is sinking amid rising sea levels due to climate change. According to the reports, the city of Alexandria is also threatened with disappearance by drowning or erosion.

The New Abu Qir city will be the first Egyptian city entirely built on an artificial island, extending over ​1,400 acres in the sea, and include a series of high-rise towers. Plans also call for the largest commercial port on the Mediterranean.

Experts and observers praised the plans, especially in the wake of the COP27. Amin Abdel Latif, an expert in environmental and climate change affairs at the National Research Center, told Al-Monitor that Egypt’s work on New Abu Qir is part of its efforts to protect Alexandria from drowning, erosion and soil salinity. A UN report, he added, warned of the devastating effects of climate change on coastal cities such as Alexandria. 

Yemen al-Hamaki, a professor of economics and commerce at Ain Shams University, considers New Abu Qir to be an extension of the new administrative capital [east of Cairo], which reflects Egypt’s efforts to create new urban communities, to attract foreign investments and create new job opportunities.

Hamaki told Al-Monitor, “The new city in Alexandria will rely on renewable energies to preserve the environment from harmful emissions, and this goes in line with the outcomes of the COP27.”

He added that the establishment of a new city comes within the framework of the state’s moves to confront population growth through new economic and investment opportunities that improve the standard of living, create job opportunities and attract foreign investments.

Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/11/egypt-build-city-artificial-island-protect-alexandria#ixzz7luY3LQXA

ما تحقق في قمة المناخ كوب ٢٧

الاهرام

السبت 2 من جمادي الأولى 1444 هــ 26 نوفمبر 2022 السنة 147 العدد 49663

د. عزة رضوان صدقى

استضافت مصر قمة مناخ كوب ٢٧ فى شرم الشيخ وكانت بلا شك مسئولية كبرى وفرصة أكبر مجتمعتين. مصر اكتسبت احترام وتقدير الجميع فى هذا المسعى وأشاد الدول بتنظيم مصر للقمة وأكد الرئيس الأمريكى بايدن ان اختيار مصر لعقد القمة كان أنسب مكان مقتبسا القول المصرى بأن مصر أم الدنيا

بالتعاون مع الأمم المتحدة، جمعت مصر ابرز زعماء الدول ومندوبيها ومراقبى المناخ لمناقشة التحديات التى تواجه العالم اليوم: تغير المناخ. كانت القمة أيضًا فرصة لمصر لإثبات ريادتها فى هذا المجال وأنها شريك منفذ فعال لاستراتيجية تغيّر المناخ. كما تحدثت مصر نيابة عن الدول الإفريقية والشرق الأوسط ولموقعها الاستراتيجى وصلت بين الشرق والغرب

فى العام الماضى قُيِّد التقدم المحرز فى التخفيف من تغيّر المناخ بسبب جائحة كورونا وحرب أوكرانيا. الا انه، بكل إنصاف، قد تم إنجاز الكثير فى قمة شرم الشيخ. أولا على هامش المؤتمر عقد الرئيس السيسى عشرات اللقاءات الفردية مع رواد المؤتمر بمن فيهم الرئيس الأمريكى بايدن ورئيسة مجلس النواب الأمريكى نانسى بيلوسى ورئيس وزراء بريطانيا ريشى سوناك وأولاف شولتز المستشار الالماني

ونوه البيت الأبيض بأن بايدن سيتحدث فى مؤتمر المناخ عن جهود الولايات المتحدة للحد من الانبعاثات وتعزيز مكافحة المناخ العالمى، ومساعدة الفئات الأكثر ضعفا على مواجهة تأثيرات المناخ. وبالفعل أعلن الرئيس بايدن عن مساهمة الولايات المتحدة بمبلغ ١٠٠ مليون دولار لصندوق التكيّف مع تغير المناخ و١٥٠ مليون دولار لدعم خطة الطوارئ المناخية فى إفريقيا.وشدد بايدن على دعم الولايات المتحدة لتغير المناخ قائلا:«اليوم، يمكننى الوقوف هنا كرئيس للولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وأقول إننا سنحقق أهدافنا المتعلقة بالانبعاثات بحلول عام ٢٠٣٠

تشير عبارة الخسائر والأضرار إلى التكاليف التى تتكبدها البلدان التى لا يمكنها تجنب الخسائر الناجمة عن تغيّر المناخ أو التكيّف معها. طُالبت الدول المتسببة فى انبعاثات الغاز بتعويض البلدان المتضررة أثناء مواجهتها للكوارث المناخية مثل فيضانات باكستان هذا العام. خلال الساعات الأخيرة للقمة بعد مقاومة الدول الغنية لسنوات تم التوصل الى اتفاق مبدئى لإنشاء صندوق الخسائر والاضرار للدول المُعرضة لكوارث المناخ. قد يكون هذا اهم إنجاز للقمة

كما أعلنت مصر عن استراتيجية طموحة للطاقة الخضراء. بالتعاون مع النرويج، ستنشئ مصر مصنعًا لإنتاج الهيدروجين الأخضر فى العين السخنة. وأشاد الرئيس السيسى بالمشروع قائلا إنه يقدم نموذجا عمليا للشراكة الاستثمارية التى تحفز التنمية الاقتصادية المستدامة. كما تم الإعلان عن مشروع هيدروجين أخضر مشابه بين السلطات المصرية والبلجيكية. كما تمكنت مصر من وضع القضايا المتعلقة بنقص المياه فى مقدمة اولويات القمة. لأول مرة، رُكز على قضية المياه ومشكلة نقصها وفترات الجفاف والفيضانات. وتمكنت مصر ايضا من ربط قضية السد الإثيوبى بقضايا المياه الأوسع وتأثيره على حصة مصر من المياه

بحكم كونها الدولة المضيفة للقمة وعزمها الواضح على التخفيف من آثار تغير المناخ، تلقت مصر الكثير من الدعم المادى والمعنوى لمواجهة التغيرات المناخية.فى بدايات القمة قدمت الولايات المتحدة والاتحاد الأوروبى وألمانيا حزمة بقيمة ٥٠٠ مليون دولار لتمويل وتسهيل تحويل مصر إلى الطاقة النظيفة - وتسريع الوصول إلى ٤٢٪ من الكهرباء المولدة من مصادر متجددة عام ٢٠٣٠، أى قبل خمس سنوات من الموعد الأصلي. ثم حصلت مصر على قروض ومنح تنموية بقيمة ٢٫٢٤ مليار دولار من البنك الدولى والممولين الأوروبيين لتنفيذ مشاريع مستدامة فى مجالات النقل والمياه، والطاقة المتجددة والأمن الغذائى والبيئة. بنهاية القمة كانت مصر قد وقعت على عشرات بروتوكولات التعاون بقيمة ٨٣ مليار دولار وأبرمت صفقات كبرى فى مجال الطاقة النظيفة. علاوة على ذلك، عززت مصر سياساتها الخارجية وعلاقاتها الثنائية. فقد أجرت مصر محادثات ثنائية مع عدة دول مثل ألمانيا وباكستان وسنغافورة وإيطاليا والبرازيل. وشكر الرئيس بايدن مصر على وساطتها لوقف القتال فى غزة وحول الحرب الأوكرانية، قائلا: تحدثت مصر بقوة عن الحرب فى أوكرانيا وكانت الوسيط الرئيسى فى غزة

فى خضم قصة النجاح هذه، أو بسببها، تم توجيه دعوات لإحراج مصر بشكل أساسى من خلال جعل الآلاف يتظاهرون. ورغم أن حالة من القلق سادت بين المصريين على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعى، فإن الدعوة لم تلق آذانًا مصغية وتم إجهاضها تماما، مما يثبت أن المصريين رغم تداعيات حرب أوكرانيا يرفضون الفوضى والاضطرابات ويؤمنون بقيادتهم. هذا المنطق، فى حد ذاته، كان جزءا من قصة نجاح القمة

وُفِّقت مصر فى إثبات أنها تستحق بالفعل ثقة العالم وقادرة على استضافة قمة مثل كوب ٢٧

لمزيد من مقالات د. عزة رضوان صدقى

COP27: An acclaimed success

Al Ahram Weekly

Azza Radwan Sedky, Tuesday 22 Nov 2022

The UN COP27 Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh was a major success for Egypt and led to the establishment of a new loss and damage fund for nations vulnerable to climate change, writes Azza Radwan Sedky

Egypt hosted the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on 6 to18 November in Sharm El-Sheikh. Without a doubt, this was a responsibility and an opportunity combined, but the country succeeded in this undertaking with flying colours, while gaining respect, appreciation, and significant resources and support.

In collaboration with the UN, Egypt brought hundreds of delegates together from all over the world to discuss the unparalleled challenge facing the world today of climate change. Prominent world leaders trooped through Sharm El-Sheikh. Climate-change collaborators and corroborators followed suit, and US President Joe Biden validated the suitability of the venue, confirming, as the Egyptian saying goes that Egypt is “the Mother of the World.”

According to the US Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Egypt pitched itself “as a gateway to Africa and a strategic player with a growing footprint on the continent” in hosting the COP27. The conference was also an opportunity for Egypt to exhibit its leadership on climate change amongst African, Arab, and underdeveloped nations and as “an emerging energy partner”. 

Last year, progress on mitigating climate change was constricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastating war in Ukraine. It is to be hoped that the COP27 will change that course. However, we need to wait patiently for results to be realised and effects established. 

The White House said that Biden’s speech to the conference would speak to “efforts to build on the unprecedented work by the United States to reduce emissions, advance the global climate fight, and help the most vulnerable build resilience to climate impacts.” 

Biden did indeed emphasise the US determination to support climate change in his speech. “Today, finally, thanks to the actions we have taken, I can stand here as president of the United States of America and say with confidence that the United States of America will meet our emissions targets by 2030,” he said, adding that the US would do its part to avert a “climate hell” with its work being “more urgent than ever [as] we double down on clean energy solutions.” 

Biden unveiled new initiatives to strengthen US leadership in tackling climate change and support the developing countries in adapting to climate impacts. The US will contribute $100 million to the Climate Change Adaptation Fund and $150 million to support the Climate Emergency Plan in Africa.

“Loss and damage” funding refers to costs incurred by countries that cannot avoid or cannot adapt to losses due to climate change. It calls on the wealthiest nations, the prime instigators of greenhouse-gas emissions, to recompense developing countries for damages accrued as they confront climatic disasters such as the devastating floods in Pakistan this year.

Discussions on loss and damage dominated the talks in Sharm El-Sheikh. EuroActiv, a European media network, said that Germany, Belgium, Scotland, and other countries had pledged almost $200 million in compensation, while Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that “I have no problem whatsoever saying that this is about reparation, compensation and liability, and responsibility.” 

After years of resistance by the rich countries to calls from countries vulnerable to climate change for compensation, at the tail end of the conference a major breakthrough was reached. A tentative agreement to establish a loss and damage fund for nations vulnerable to the impacts of climate change was established. This may prove to be the most significant achievement of the meeting.

By virtue of being the host country of the COP27 and its clear intention to work to alleviate the effects of climate change, Egypt received much financial support during the conference. The US, the EU, and Germany provided a package of $500 million to finance and facilitate Egypt’s transition to clean energy and accelerate the country’s ambitious goal of producing 42 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources in 2030, five years earlier than previously planned.   

The Ministry of International Cooperation announced that it had secured development loans and grants totalling $2.24 billion from the World Bank and European donors to implement sustainable projects in transportation, water, renewable energy, food security, and the environment in Egypt.

Egypt was also able to bring water-related issues to the forefront of the discussions at the COP27. Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Ati said that “for the first time, the water issue will have a special focus during the COP27, and we will discuss water issues and water shortages, periods of drought and floods, and changing the location and quantity of rainfall.”

Egypt was able to link the issue of Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to wider water issues and how it could impact Egypt’s water share from the Nile.

Earlier at the conference, Egypt announced an ambitious 100 MW green energy strategy. Together with Norway, Egypt will establish a major green hydrogen production plant in Ain Al-Sokhna under the plans, with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi hailing the project by saying it provides “a practical model of investment partnership that stimulates sustainable economic development.” Another similar green hydrogen project between the Egyptian and Belgian authorities has also been announced. 

Egyptian bilateral relations were strengthened across the board. Biden thanked the Egyptian authorities for their efforts to halt the fighting in Gaza. On the Russian-Ukrainian war, he said that “Egypt spoke strongly about the war in Ukraine and was the main mediator in Gaza.” Similar bilateral talks were conducted with countries including Germany, Pakistan, Singapore, and Italy. 

But amidst this success story, calls were made from beyond Egypt for demonstrations to coincide with the COP27, mainly to embarrass the country by having thousands of people fill the streets calling for change. The call fell on deaf ears, proving that the Egyptian people, despite the repercussions of the Ukraine war, reject chaos and disruption and believe in their leadership and the efforts being made. 

This mindset is also part of the success story of the COP27.

Grand Egyptian Museum to host events and group visits in a test phase

Ahram Online

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will host limited events and group visits to some areas in the GEM complex to test site readiness and the visitor experience ahead of an operational trial phase that will be announced in due course.

According to a statement by the GEM released on Wednesday, sites that are accessible during this phase are the Hanging Obelisk Square in front of the museum, the atrium, the Children’s Museum, the Immersive Hall, the outdoor areas, and retail and food and beverage outlets, which include leading Egyptian brands.

Entry to the atrium will afford access to a selection of remarkable artefacts, including the colossus of Rameses II, the 10 Statues of Senusret, the Sakkara Cannon, the victory column of Meneptah, in addition to the Ptolemaic King and Queen statues.

All other museum interior spaces, including access to main galleries and the two Tutankhamun galleries, will remain closed in preparation for the full site opening.

Located just two kilometres from the Pyramids of Giza, the GEM complex occupies a total land area of 500,000 square metres and is home to the world’s largest archaeological collection.

Upon its official inauguration, the GEM, overlooking the Giza Plateau, will be the world’s largest museum for a single civilisation, and the icon of its treasured collection will be all the treasures of Tutankhamun, which will be displayed for the first time since the discovery of his tomb in 1922.

US and Russia to meet in Egypt to discuss key nuclear arms control agreement later this month

CNN

 

By Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood and Anna Chernova, CNN (Link: US and Russia to meet in Egypt to discuss kkey nuclear arms control agreement later this month)

Officials from the United States and Russia will meet in Egypt from November 29 to December 6 to discuss a key nuclear arms control agreement.

The meetings on the New START Treaty – the only agreement left regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals – come in the wake of Moscow’s nuclear saber-rattling toward Ukraine and following complications around inspections related to the treaty.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Thursday confirmed the dates and location of the meeting to discuss the New START agreement.

A US State Department spokesperson would not confirm the details, but said they “have scheduled a meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC) with Russia to discuss New START Treaty implementation.”

US and Russia agree to hold talks on nuclear treaty for first time since Ukraine war began.

“As we have for the life of the treaty, the United States will approach the BCC in a constructive and professional manner without discussing further details publicly,” a spokesperson said. “The US objective for the BCC, as it always has been, is to ensure the full implementation of the treaty, including its verification regime.”

“We are planning and preparing for a productive BCC,” they said.

The treaty was last extended in early 2021 for five years. Under the treaty, Washington and Moscow conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites. However, the inspections had been halted since 2020 due to the pandemic, and complications arose when the US attempted to resume inspections earlier this year.

Biden administration officials view it as a positive development that the New START talks are happening later this month though they do not expect that the talks will result in an immediate resumption of on-site inspections, an administration official said.

Administration officials have said that the willingness to discuss the arms control agreement, even as Russia carries out its war in Ukraine, demonstrates Moscow’s commitment to diplomacy.

“We believe deeply, around the world, in the transformative power and the importance of diplomacy and dialogue,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a briefing last week. “When it comes to Russia, of course, we are clear eyed, we’re realistic about what dialogue between the United States and Russia can – both what it can entail and what it can accomplish. We – we have focused on risk reduction in these conversations, but we’ve been very intentional about seeing to it that the ability of our two countries to pass messages back and forth and to engage in dialogue has not, does not atrophy.”

 

Egypt Is Cutting Domestic Power Demand And Selling More Gas To Europe

Oilprice.com

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Nov 17, 2022, 7:05 AM CST

Egypt has started dimming the lights at landmarks in Cairo as it seeks to sell more gas to energy-starved Europe and get more revenue amid an economic crisis.   

In the capital Cairo, the lights at the Tahrir square are dimmed, and lighting is being reduced on some streets, government buildings, and shops at night, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Egypt, like many other countries in Africa, has felt the rising inflation. At the same time, a stronger U.S. dollar has diminished the power of its local currency to pay for imports.

Egypt, however, has gas, and by reducing the use of gas for domestic power production, the country is redirecting more LNG to Europe, which has been paying top dollar this year to get all the gas it can before the winter.

Egypt could help Europe with its higher deliveries of gas, but it will also receive foreign currency for its LNG exports, much needed in the North African economy battered by the war in Ukraine right after a Covid-induced recession.

So now Egypt is looking to reduce by 15% the volume of natural gas it uses for power generation and send to Europe the gas it has saved domestically.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to extend a fund facility arrangement of $3 billion, which “aims to safeguard macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, improve Egypt’s resilience to external shocks, strengthen the social safety net, and step-up reforms that underpin higher private-sector-led growth and job creation.”

The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board, which is expected to discuss the authorities’ request in December.

“The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)’s move to a flexible exchange rate regime is a significant and welcome step to unwind external imbalances, boost Egypt’s competitiveness, and attract foreign direct investment. The commitment to durable exchange rate flexibility going forward will be a cornerstone policy for rebuilding and safeguarding Egypt’s external resilience over the long term,” the IMF said in October.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

هل يتراجع التأييد لأوكرانيا؟

الاهرام

السبت 18 من ربيع الثاني 1444 هــ 12 نوفمبر 2022 السنة 147 العدد 49649

د. عزة رضوان صدقى

الحرب فى أوكرانيا مشتعلة منذ تسعة أشهر مع دعم عالمي مكثف..فى حين أن العديد من البلدان، خاصة البلدان النامية، عانت بصمت من أضرار الحرب الأوكرانية، متقبلة حقيقة عدم تملكها رأيًا كبيرًا فى حرب خارج أراضيها، فإن الدول الغربية ساندت أوكرانيا بشدة على الرغم من الثمن الباهظ الذي كان عليهم دفعه هم أيضًا. تراوح الدعم من حزم مساعدات إنسانية واقتصادية إلى التسليح والتدريب الكامل، بالإضافة إلى قبول أعداد كبيرة من طالبي اللجوء الأوكرانيين بأذرع مفتوحة، فلماذا قد يتراجع الدعم ويتضاءل الاهتمام والمساندة بحرب أوكرانيا؟

تسود أسباب كثيرة. مع استمرار الصراع شهرًا بعد شهر، بدأ التعاطف والدعم يتآكلان. أحد العوامل الرئيسية لهذا التراجع فى الدعم يكمن فيما يسمى بالإرهاق من الأخبار. عندما تطول الأحداث السيئة ينتاب الفرد، أيًا كان، الإرهاق المعنوي. إنه نمط شائع ينتشر بعد الصدمة الأولى التى تأتى مع أى أزمة

غمرت أخبار اجتياح روسيا لأوكرانيا العالم وساد التعاطف والمواساة. لكن مع مرور الوقت، حدث فائض حاد فى المعلومات أرهق العالم. اليوم أخبار أوكرانيا التى تظهر فى الإعلام لا تُعطى نفس الأهمية. الاهتمام يتضاءل، ليس لأن العالم لا يهتم، ولكن لأن العالم قد سئم الأحداث واعتاد عليها. ويتضاءل الاهتمام بشدة مع بُعد المسافات متسببًا فى تضاؤل الموارد والمدفوعات. تقول شركة ستاتيستا، المتخصصة فى بيانات الأسواق والمستهلكين، إن ذروة الاهتمام التى تلت بداية الحرب التى ظهرت فى محركات البحث مثل جوجل قلّت اليوم إلى مستويات ما قبل الحرب تقريبًا. إلى جانب ذلك، تتنافس أخبار أخرى على المركز الأول مع الحرب الأوكرانية: تواصلت الأعاصير هذا العام على الساحل الشرقى لأمريكا الشمالية وتُوفى العشرات وغمرت المياه مناطق عدة وانقطعت الكهرباء لأسابيع. الاضطرابات والعصيان المدنى فى إيران خرجا عن السيطرة. ريشى سوناك بدأ فى مزاولة عمله كرئيس وزراء بريطانيا الجديد بعد حقبة من الاستقالات لنفس المركز. والمجاعة تلتهم المحتاجين فى إفريقيا. هذه كلها أسباب لتوجيه الانتباه إلى الأحداث الأخرى. علاوة على ذلك، فإن الاحتياجات الأساسية هى فى مقدمة أذهان جموع الأبرياء فى جميع أنحاء العالم: تكلفة المعيشة، وانخفاض الدخل المتاح، والتضخم، وارتفاع أسعار الفائدة، ونقص الوقود والغذاء. تترجم هذه المشاكل إلى عدم قدرة المرء على إطعام أسرته أو التوجه إلى مكان عمله أو تدفئة منزله. الحاجات الأساسية أهم للأفراد من متابعة أحداث أوكرانيا

العديد من الاقتصادات الكبرى، مثل اقتصاد الولايات المتحدة وكندا وبريطانيا وألمانيا، على حافة الركود الاقتصادي. فى الواقع، يعاني معظم الاقتصادات فى جميع أنحاء العالم من ضغوط التضخم وارتفاع تكلفة الغذاء والطاقة، وكلها أسباب وجيهة وراء تحول الاهتمام عن حرب أوكرانيا

ما هى المدة التى يمكن أن تتحملها حتى أكثر الدول ثراء فى ظل الركود الذى يلوح فى الأفق؟ قدمت الولايات المتحدة لأوكرانيا أكثر من ٦٠ مليار دولار. هل يمكن أن يستمر هذا المستوى من الدعم؟ وفقًا للديمقراطيين الأمريكيين، إذا استعاد الجمهوريون السيطرة على مجلس النواب الأمريكى فى انتخابات التجديد النصفى ـــ التى تمت بالفعل منذ ايام واحرز الحزب الجمهوري انتصارا فيها بالفعل ـــ، فقد لا يحتفظون بنفس المستوى من المساعدة لأوكرانيا. كما يقول عضو مجلس النواب الأمريكى الجمهورى كيفن مكارثي، إنه فى ظل الركود المتوقع، لن يكتب الأمريكيون شيكًا على بياض إلى أوكرانيا

تقول بوليتيكو، وهى صحيفة سياسية أمريكية مملوكة لألمانيا ومقرها فى فرجينيا بالولايات المتحدة: طوال شهر يوليو الماضى، لم تعرض أكبر ست دول فى أوروبا على أوكرانيا أى التزامات عسكرية ثنائية جديدة. كما يقول كريستوف تريبيش، رئيس فريق تعقب الدعم الأوكراني، كانت التزامات المساعدات العسكرية الأوروبية لأوكرانيا فى اتجاه هبوطى منذ نهاية أبريل، ويقارن التمويل المقدم لأزمة وباء فيروس كورونا بأزمة أوكرانيا قائلًا: «عندما تقارن سرعة إصدار الشيكات وحجم الأموال التى تم تسليمها، مقارنة بما هو معروض لأوكرانيا، فإن ذلك ضئيل بالمقارنة. وشككت بوليتيكو فى استمرار الدعم العسكرى الأوروبى لأوكرانيا فى الأشهر المقبلة». وأوضحت أن ألمانيا تتحرك ببطء شديد لتنفيذ مقايضات الدبابات مع الجيران الأوروبيين. كما أكدت أن القوى الأوروبية الكبرى لا تواكب المساعدة العسكرية القادمة من الولايات المتحدة، وإن المشاكل الكبيرة التى أصابت بريطانيا وبولندا قد تفقدهما زخمهما. بطبيعة الحال، يشعر الأوكرانيون بالإحباط لهذا التغير. كانوا يأملون فى أن تستمر الحكومات الغربية فى المساهمة بالمزيد للمساعدة فى إنهاء الحرب؛ إلا أن هذا لا يبدو محتملًا

لمزيد من مقالات د. عزة رضوان صدقى

رابط دائم: 

Is support for Ukraine waning?

Al Ahram Weekly

Azza Radwan Sedky, Tuesday 8 Nov 2022

The war in Ukraine has been raging for eight months, but is support for it now waning in the Western countries, asks Azza Radwan Sedky

While many countries, especially the underdeveloped ones, are suffering significant damage and are having to accept the reality that they have not much say in the war that is taking place in Eastern Europe, the Western countries are also having to pay the price of the war despite their having steamed full speed ahead in supporting it. 

This support has ranged from humanitarian and economic aid to fully-fledged armaments provision and training, along with receiving droves of Ukrainian asylum-seekers with open arms. However, is that support now subsiding and interest dwindling in the horrific Ukraine war?

As the conflict continues month after month, attrition has been setting in, and interest, and, more importantly, empathy and support, are eroding. One main factor behind this decline is news fatigue – the phenomenon of becoming tired of prolonged bad news. It is a common pattern that takes place after the first wave of shock that comes with a crisis. 

Earlier on, the world, hypnotised by the shocking invasion of Ukraine, was fixated on what was happening. In time, however, information overload occurred. Today, the world has been worn out by the news from Ukraine: headlines are often given a half-hearted glance, and stories in the media are given even less. Even the worst of events are met with a shrug of the shoulders by some. Interest is definitely dwindling, not because the world does not care, but because it has got tired of following the news, acknowledging and accepting the existence of the ongoing war.  

Steinar Ellingsen, a Norwegian journalism lecturer, told the Euronews channel recently that “there’s a pattern when the news cycle moves on after the first wave. And then, particularly the further geographically away from the conflict you are, the quicker the interest pales. With distance, time and resources and budgets drain very quickly.” 

According to Statista, a German data company, after a peak of interest following the outbreak of the war, the “popularity of ‘Ukraine’ has now returned to almost pre-war levels” on the world’s search engines. 

Other news has also been competing with the Ukraine war. Hurricane season came with a vengeance this year as the east coast of the US was hit by storms Fiona and Ian. Civil unrest in Iran has never been stronger. Rishi Sunak, Britain’s new prime minister, has hit the ground running after Liz Truss, the previous prime minister, lasted only 44 days. Famine and starvation are extending across Africa. These are all reasons why the world’s attention is being directed elsewhere.

Furthermore, crucial needs are at the top of the list of people’s preoccupations, including the cost of living, declines in disposable income, inflation, interest rate hikes, and fuel and food shortages. These troubles in some cases translate into an inability to have a roof over one’s head, to feed one’s family, and to commute to work. Fundamental needs can supersede interest in the situation in Ukraine.

Many major economies, such as that of the US, Canada, Britain, and Germany, are bound to suffer recession from the fallout from the Ukraine war. In fact, most economies around the world are reeling from the pressures of inflation and the high cost of food and energy, all reasons why interest in the Ukraine war is waning.  

The US has provided Ukraine with more than $60 billion to date, but for many the question is how long this level of support can be sustained. According to US Democrats, if the Republicans retake control of the US House of Representatives in this month’s midterm elections, they may not keep up the same level of aid to Ukraine. 

US House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has said that with a recession forecast in the US Americans are not going to write “a blank cheque” to Ukraine. “They just won’t do it… It’s not a free blank cheque,” he said.  

“Throughout July, Europe’s six largest countries offered Ukraine no new bilateral military commitments,” said Politico, a US political publication based in Virginia. Christoph Trebesch, head of the team compiling its Ukraine Support Tracker, noted that “European military aid commitments for Ukraine have been on a downward trend since the end of April” and also compared the funding provided to the Eurozone crisis and the coronavirus pandemic to the Ukraine crisis. 

“When you compare the speed at which the chequebook came out and the size of the money that was delivered, compared to what is on offer for Ukraine, it is tiny in comparison,” he said.

In August, Politico doubted the continuation of Europe’s military support for Ukraine in the coming months. It explained that Germany is “moving too slowly to implement much-touted tank swaps with European neighbours” and said the “major European powers are not keeping up with the military aid coming from the US… Having led the charge, big-hitting Britain and Poland may be running out of steam.”

Of course, the Ukrainians are disheartened by the changes. They had hoped governments around the world would continue to contribute more to help bring the war to an end, but this does not now seem likely.

Meanwhile, as the war drags on with no end in sight, no settlement negotiations on the horizon, and all sides engaging in escalation, the world is focusing on its own challenges and dilemmas. It is less and less likely to become involved, all the more reason for the war to come to an end as soon as possible. 

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* The writer is former professor of communication based in Vancouver, Canada.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 November, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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What is COP27 and why is it important?

BBC

World leaders are discussing action to tackle climate change at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.

It follows a year of climate-related disasters and broken temperature records.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is attending, having previously said he would not.

What is COP27?

United Nations (UN) climate summits are held every year, for governments to agree steps to limit global temperature rises.

They are referred to as COPs, which stands for "Conference of the Parties". The parties are the attending countries that signed up to the original UN climate agreement in 1992.

COP27 is the 27th annual UN meeting on climate. It is taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh until 18 November.

Why is COP27 important?

The world is warming because of emissions produced by humans, mostly from burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal.

Global temperatures have risen 1.1C and are heading towards 1.5C, according to the UN's climate scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

If temperatures rise 1.7 to 1.8C above 1850s levels, the IPCC estimates that half the word's population could be exposed to life-threatening heat and humidity.

To prevent this, 194 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, pledging to "pursue efforts" to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C.

 

 

Who will be at COP27?

More than 200 governments have been invited.

In a speech on Monday Mr Sunak is set to urge world leaders at COP27 to move "further and faster" in transitioning to renewable energy. He will say Russia's invasion of Ukraine "reinforced" the importance of ending dependence on fossil fuels.

 

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is also going, but King Charles will not be there, following government advice. However, he held a pre-conference reception at Buckingham Palace.

Vladimir Putin is not due to go, although Russian delegates are still expected to take part.

Other countries, including China, have not confirmed whether their leaders will attend.

Hosts Egypt called on countries to put their differences aside and "show leadership" on the issue of climate change.

Environmental charities, community groups, think tanks, businesses and faith groups will also take part.

Where is COP27 taking place?

The conference is taking place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

This will be the fifth time a COP has been hosted in Africa.

The region's governments hope it will draw attention to the severe impacts of climate change on the continent. The IPCC says Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world.

Currently, 20 million people are estimated to be facing food insecurity in east Africa because of drought.

However, choosing Egypt as the venue has attracted controversy.

Some human rights and climate campaigners say the government has stopped them attending because they have criticised its rights record.

What will be discussed at COP27?

Ahead of the meeting, countries were asked to submit ambitious national climate plans. Only 25 have done so to date.

COP27 will focus on three main areas:

• Reducing emissions
• Helping countries to prepare for and deal with climate change
• Securing technical support and funding for developing countries for the above

Some areas not fully resolved or covered at COP26 will be picked up:

• Loss and damage finance - money to help countries recover from the effects of climate change, rather than just prepare for it
• Establishment of a global carbon market - to price the effects of emissions into products and services globally
• Strengthen the commitments to reduce coal use

There will also be themed days on issues including gender, agriculture and biodiversity.

Some of the key phrases you will hear:

• Paris accord: The 2015 Paris Agreement united all the world's nations - for the first time - in a single agreement on tackling global warming and cutting greenhouse gas emissions
• IPCC: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change examines the latest research into climate change
• 1.5C: Keeping the rise in global average temperature below 1.5C - compared with pre-industrial times - will avoid the worst impacts of climate change, according to scientists

 

Egypt: Alexandria expected to sink by 2100

Africa News (Egypt: Alexandria expected to sink by 2100)

The UN climate panel (IPCC) has already written the worst-case scenario: in 2050, "the sea will rise by one meter". Then it will swallow "a third of the ultra-fertile land of the Nile Delta and historic cities like Alexandria will be flooded".

Every year, the city of Alexander the Great sinks by three millimeters, weakened by the Nile dams upstream that prevent silt from consolidating its soil and by offshore gas drilling.

Opposite, the sea is rising as much, due to the effect of warming and the melting of the ice cap.

Hundreds of people have already had to leave buildings weakened by floods, in 2015 and in 2020. They are only the first of many, warns the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources.

In the Nile Delta, the sea has advanced 3 km inland since the 1960s. In the 1980s, the Rosetta lighthouse, built by Khedive Ismail at the very end of the 19th century, was engulfed by the waves.

"Climate change is now a reality and no longer just a warning," says the head of the Egyptian Coastal Protection Authority Ahmed Abdelqader.

Climate change in the Mediterranean will be one of the most radical in the world because its deep waters will warm more than all the oceans, warns the IPCC.

In a best-case scenario, if the Mediterranean rises only 50 centimeters, as other Egyptian and UN studies estimate, "30% of Alexandria will be flooded, 1.5 million or more people will be displaced, 195,000 jobs will be destroyed, and losses in land and construction will reach $30 trillion."

The disaster will have repercussions on the 104 million Egyptians because "in addition to its history and its vestiges of the past, Alexandria is also home to the largest port in the country", the nerve centre of the Egyptian economy, recalls Mr. Abdelqader. Abdelqader.

Alexandria has gained almost two million inhabitants in the last ten years and in the country, strangled by inflation and devaluation, investment in public infrastructure has not followed.

The city's governor, Mohammed al-Sherif, recently explained that "the road drainage system was built to absorb one million cubic meters of rainfall, but now sometimes 18 cubic meters fall in a single day.

Not to mention the extreme weather events - temperature increases, rare rainfall, unprecedented snow events - that Alexandrians face.

"We have never seen such heat in Alexandria at the end of October," exclaims Mohammed Omar, 36. 

26 degrees, or five degrees more than the seasonal norm, while the rain is overdue.

Today, the city that keeps its cosmopolitan golden age of the early twentieth century art-deco cafes and Haussmann buildings can not cope. It didn't take more than Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister, to bid Alexandria "farewell" at COP26 last year in Glasgow, in a speech that chilled Egyptians' blood.

"Yes, the danger exists and we do not deny it, but we are launching projects to mitigate it," said Abdelqader.

To protect people and land, a belt of reeds has been planted along 69 kilometers of coastline.

"The sand aggregates around it and together they form a natural barrier," he explains. Soon, devices for warning and measuring waves will be put in place.

The heritage is also in danger. The citadel of Qaitbay, built in the fifteenth century on a narrow strip of land beaten by ever higher waves, is in the front line.

To protect this Mamluk fortress built on the site of the Alexandria lighthouse that disappeared in antiquity, 5,000 concrete blocks were installed to break the waves and support the building. Other blocks mitigate the damage all along the cornice.

Alexandria, with its long history of construction and destruction, does not want to see its heritage vanish.

There was its lighthouse, the largest library in the world, a temple of knowledge ravaged by fire... Today, its modest heir, an immense architect's building on the cornice, like the rest of the city, must be saved, pleads Mr. Abdelqader.

For this, "the West has a moral responsibility: it must help to counter the negative effects of climate change, which is the result of its choices of civilization.

The COP27, which will open on November 6 in Egypt, will be there to remind us of this.