Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reportedly cancels his visit to Morocco. No reasons mentioned behind the cancellation.
Al-Sisi was supposed lead Egypt’s delegation to the UN conference of the parties (COP22) currently taking place in Marrakesh. Environment minister Khaled Fahmy will attend on his behalf.
During his visit, Fahmy headed consulting meeting for African environment ministers. The meeting aims at reaching a common ground between all African countries in terms of implementation mechanisms for the Paris Agreement, adaptation measures to climate changes, the ministry said in an official statement.
While the reason for Al-Sisi’s visit cancellation remains unknown, it came amid recent tension in the Egyptian-Moroccan relations. In mid October, Egypt received a delegation of the self-proclaimed Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Sharm El-Sheikh.
The Polisario delegation had participated in the Arab-African parliamentary congress, taking place in the Egyptian resort. This was the first time Egypt welcomes SADR delegation in an official event.
King Mohammed VI’s invitation to Al-Sisi in February also triggered public discontent in Morocco, certainly from Islamist movements. Movement of Unity and Reform (MUR) criticised Al-Sisi’s visit as they described him as “coup” president.
The COP22 is considered a crucial event for Egypt as it is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change effects, according to local environment NGOs. Excessive rain floods in late October took over many cities in Upper Egypt and Sinai, killing at least 18 people, injuring and displacing dozen others.
The conference is currently attended by hundreds of presidents, representatives from member states to follow up the implementation of Paris Agreement signed in December 2015.
The Paris Agreement urges members’ states to keep rise of temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius by 2100. About 100 countries only have ratified the agreement so far, Egypt was not one of them. The agreement came into force, earlier this November.
