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Cop27: Former UK PM Boris Johnson flies to Egypt on budget airline

Johnson was pictured sitting in a leather, non-reclining, and limited-legroom seat on a Pegasus Airlines flight
Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street, on 13 July 2022 (AFP)
Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street, on 13 July 2022 (AFP)

Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson arrived at Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh resort aboard a budget airliner Pegasus to attend the UN climate change conference, Cop27.

On Sunday, Johnson was pictured sitting in a leather, non-reclining, and limited-legroom seat on a Pegasus Airlines flight to Egypt via Istanbul.

Cop27 in Egypt is estimated to be attended by 120 world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Johnson said on Monday that "the reason I'm here is because the discussion about Ukraine is having all kinds of negative effects.

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"This is not the moment to go weak on net zero; this is the time to double down", he said, urging leaders at Cop27 recommit to the global net zero target.

The UK hosted Cop26 in Glasgow in November 2021 when Johnson was the British premier. However, he resigned from his post in July amid criticism for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules.

Johnson said during an event at Cop27 that he is supportive of Sunak's leadership, adding, "I'm a foot soldier, a spear carrier. I'm here in a purely supportive role and to remind the world what we did at Glasgow.

"The PM is here. I'm glad he is here. He made an outstanding speech the other day, he is on absolutely the right lines," Johnson said.

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