Baerbock visit to Egypt: climate protection and arms deliveries

On the last stop of her trip to the Middle East, Foreign Minister Baerbock is visiting Cairo. In addition to climate protection and the peace process, it should also be about Egypt’s controversial desire for weapons.

Climate change and environmental protection – these are the focal points of the talks that Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is holding in Cairo today. Your colleague Samih Schukri is the official host of this year’s world climate conference in November.

Baerbock wanted to propose to Schukri that he jointly chair the Petersberg climate dialogue, which is scheduled to take place in July, according to the Foreign Minister’s three-day trip to the Middle East. Yesterday evening, Baerbock met with some representatives of Egyptian civil society who are committed to sustainability and environmental protection.

Middle East peace process an issue in Cairo

At the first stops on her Middle East trip – in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories and Jordan – the still so-called peace process was a topic of conversation. The relationship between Israelis and Palestinians will probably also be the subject of Baerbock’s meeting with her Egyptian colleague.

Debate also on controversial arms deliveries

Other topics could be the reluctance of the new federal government to deliver weapons. Arms sales to Egypt are highly controversial because the country is involved in regional conflicts, such as in Libya. In addition, the human rights situation is considered devastating.

Just last December, Germany denounced the conviction of several democracy activists in Egypt. Criticism then came from Cairo that Germany was unjustifiably interfering in Egypt’s internal affairs.