Cop27, handshake between Meloni and al-Sisi. Guterres: taxing extra-profits from fossil fuels

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Upon arrival in Sharm el-Sheikh for the inaugural ceremony of the high-level meetings of Cop27 (the United Nations climate conference), Giorgia Meloni found Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the UN Secretary General to welcome her António Guterres. The Italian premier, accompanied by the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto, shook hands with al-Sisi. Making his debut at an international summit after landing at Palazzo Chigi, Meloni is the first Italian premier to visit Egypt since Giulio Regeni was found dead in Cairo in 2016.

Guterres: taxing extra-profits from fossil fuels

In his speech at the opening of COP27, UN Secretary General Guterres called for “all governments to tax the unexpected profits of fossil fuel companies” and for this money to be redirected “to the people struggling with rising food prices and energy and to countries suffering losses and damage from the climate crisis ».

Meloni sees Herzog: common values, fight against anti-Semitism

The Italian prime minister then had a series of bilateral meetings. He comes face to face with the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak and with the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. With Herzog – announced Palazzo Chigi – the exchange focused on the excellent bilateral collaboration and on the energy transition. The premier said he was ready to collaborate with the future new Israeli government to strengthen the Italian-Israeli partnership in the industrial and technological field and in the sector of clean technologies for the environment. A strong consonance was shared on the defense of common values ​​starting from the fight against anti-Semitism.

Meloni-Sunak: unified response to Ukrainian aggression

In the meeting, Meloni and Sunak discussed the main challenges that the international community must face, first of all the need for a united response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and underlined the importance of cooperation between Italy and the United Kingdom in the field G7 and NATO. Together Italy and the United Kingdom will be able to strengthen the transatlantic link. Meloni and Sunak also reiterated their willingness to work together to further develop bilateral relations between Rome and London.

Number 10 Downing Street reported that in their meeting Sunak and Meloni had “a positive discussion on a number of shared issues and priorities, including combating illegal immigration and human trafficking gangs.”