COP27 dominates the conversation in the foreign press this morning: Egypt will remain impartial at this year’s summit to help mediate between developing and developed countries to reach a consensus on climate finance pledges, Wael Aboulmagd, special representative of COP27 president Sameh Shoukry, told Reuters. He reiterated Shoukry’s pledge earlier this week to allow climate activists to protest at the venue. "There are certain rules and we're working with the secretariat to ensure that if there are people who want to protest, they're entitled to do that, and it's done in a peaceful manner," he said.

Al Mashat + Maait talk COP: International Cooperation Minister Rania Al Mashat and Finance Minister Mohamed Maait talked to the Guardian about Egypt’s plans for the summit.

• Al Mashat emphasized the importance of bringing in the private sector to contribute to the process, and said that the government’s focus for COP27 would be on implementing the pledges that haven’t been acted on. “For us, what we want this COP to be about is moving from pledges to implementation. And we want to highlight what are the practical policies and practices, the processes that can actually push the pledges [into action], to bridge that gap.”
• Maait said that Egypt would push for commitments to simultaneously provide debt relief for the developing world and build climate resilience. “Most developing countries are in debt. Can we do something to engage those countries? Can we reduce this burden and assist them towards net zero?,” he said, reiterating calls for rich nations to step up funding to help the global south combat climate change.