The Belgian politician and Flemish environment minister, Zohal Demir, has announced her intention not to physically attend the United Nations Climate Conference (COP27), which will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6-18 November because of the country’s poor human rights record.
It was Demir’s turn in this year’s Cop27 to represent Belgium at the European negotiations on “burden sharing”. It was up to the minister, according to agreed traditions between the Belgian (federal and regional) ministers, to decide whether or not to participate. She noted that she would communicate with the Belgian delegation that will be present at the conference “digitally” if necessary, according to the Brussels Times website.
“Nowhere is this more painfully evident than in Egypt where climate scientists are gagged while politicians and corporations are given the red carpet. This is very sour,” Demir said.
She cited reports from Human Rights Watch which say that the human rights situation in Egypt is getting worse.
Demir also pointed out that besides the aggression against environmental organizations, groups and activists, marital rape is not criminalized in the country, which is one of her other reasons for boycotting the conference.