Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty declared Egypt’s full rejection of Israel’s current military aggression against Lebanon, stressing that it constitutes a blatant breach of the country’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and political independence. Abdelatty also condemned the Israeli aggression going on for one year on Gaza and the bloody assault on the West Bank, considering both a “real stigma on the forehead” of the international community and its “helpless institutions” which have so far been unable to stop the aggression and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. “It is a shame that the international community took months to start demanding an end to Israel’s aggression on Gaza,” Abdelatty said.

Egypt’s top priority at the moment is to stop the aggression on Lebanon, reach an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, stem bloodshed, deliver humanitarian aid and counter any attempt to resolve the Palestinian cause through forced displacement or demographic replacement policies, Abdelatty said.

Speaking at a high-level general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) on Saturday, Abdelatty warned that Israel’s aggressive policies towards Lebanon and Gaza “know no bounds and are pushing the region into the abyss”.

Abdelatty accused Israel of doing its best to disrupt all mediation efforts exerted by Egypt in coordination with Qatar and the United States to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. “Whenever we reach a deal, they step up aggression and kill civilians to prevent any ceasefire,” Abdelatty said.

He emphasised that the only path to a just, permanent, and comprehensive solution to the current conflict in the Middle East is to establish a unified Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Ahmed Abaza, head of parliament’s Arab Affairs Committee, said Abdelatty’s speech at the General Assembly focused on showing solidarity with Lebanon and Gaza. “Egypt wants the Israeli aggression to stop and for Lebanon and Gaza to regain stability and then reach a peaceful and diplomatic solution,” said Abaza, adding that “Egypt’s support for Lebanon and Gaza stems from its role as a major force in the Arab world, Africa, and the Middle East and its keenness to prevent conflicts from spiralling out of control into a regional war.”

Abaza noted that Abdelatty was strongly critical of Israel and its destructive policies in the region. “Despite the fact that there is a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, Abdelatty was clear in taking Israel to task for fuelling conflicts and preventing any kind of political solutions,” Abaza said.

Abdelatty’s speech also tackled Egypt and Sudan’s dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), stressing that “Egypt will never turn a blind eye to policies that pose a threat to its existence.” Despite Egypt’s sincere efforts, Ethiopia sticks to the policy of procrastination and obstinacy, insisting on filling the Ethiopian dam in violation of international law and without caring about its negative impact on the lives of millions in Egypt and Sudan, Abdelatty said.

He indicated that negotiations with Ethiopia over GERD reached a deadlock in December 2023 after 13 years of fruitless negotiations and unilateral Ethiopian actions in violation of international law, particularly the Declaration of Principles Agreement of 2015 and the presidential statement of the Security Council of 2021. “Those who imagine that Egypt will tolerate or turn a blind eye to an existential threat like the Ethiopian dam are wrong,” said Abdelatty.

Abdelatty said Egypt will continue to closely monitor Ethiopia’s actions which, he added, do not consider the interests of millions living in Egypt and Sudan. “We will also monitor the development of filling and operating GERD, and stress that the country will take all the necessary measures to defend its interests and the well-being of its people and preserve its rights of the Nile waters as guaranteed under the United Nations Charter,” Abdelatty said.

Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s call for international efforts to activate the new African peacekeeping mission in Somalia in harmony with the vision of the Somali people and government to preserve its security and stability. “In this respect, Egypt denounces all unilateral actions that might impact Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

He also called for a comprehensive political solution for the civil war in Sudan and the internal crisis in Libya. “In Sudan, the solution must be based on respecting the sovereignty of the country and preserving its national institutions, and in Libya the solution must be based on conducting parliamentary and presidential elections at the earliest possible time to bring unity to the country,” Abdelatty said.

The way to solving regional crises and maintaining national unity, Abdelatty said there should be a political reform process that can recover stability and prevent sectarian militias from filling a vacuum or opening the door for some foreign forces to secure its interests.

Abdelatty deplored that the UN Security Council had been unable to stop ongoing conflicts and a range of challenges ranging from cybercrime and artificial intelligence to collective security. He said maintaining peace and security is the raison d’etre of the UN, also regretting that some global agreements, including nuclear non-proliferation treaties, are being flouted.  

Committed to strengthening the UN’s role, Abdelatty said the root causes of conflicts must be addressed and efforts must be bolstered to truly maintain peace. “One way to resolve the outbreak of crises is to preserve the unity of national states and strengthen their institutions so they can fill vacuums created by political insecurity,” he added.

He also noted that nowhere is collective security lacking more than in Africa and the Middle East. “Unfortunately, the UN Security Council is not doing enough to address the syndrome of crises” in these two regions and believes it is just “enough to offer humanitarian assistance”.

Abdelatty said Egypt remains committed to working with regional and international partners to revitalise the multilateral system. In this respect, he voiced Egypt’s support for reforming UN institutions and creating an expanded Security Council with more permanent seats, including for African nations.

As for mounting climate challenges, Abdelatty said efforts must be linked to adequate resources to meet the challenges, including through the Loss and Damage Fund, alongside national plans that align with the agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Abdelatty said that despite global economic crises and challenges, Egypt will continue working to bolster its human capital through a national dialogue that prioritises human rights and democracy and maintain peace and security in the region and the world over. “Our young people will take forward this vision not to win the satisfaction of any outside forces but to respond to the aspirations of its people,” he said, adding that “young Egyptian people are the ones who will craft their future and preserve human lives without discrimination on the basis of race, gender or otherwise.”

* A version of this article appears in print in the 3 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly