This came during a joint press conference at the Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently in a high-level visit to Egypt.
"We agreed on rejecting any calls for the displacement of Palestinians from their land," El-Sisi emphasized.
For his part, President Macron reaffirmed his strong opposition to the displacement of Palestinians and the annexation of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
"We are firmly opposed to the displacement of populations and any annexation of both Gaza and the West Bank," Macron said during the press conference. "This would be a violation of international law and a serious threat to the security of the entire region, including Israel."
Macron also reiterated his support for the Egypt-prepared Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, which was endorsed by the Arab League.
"I salute here the crucial work of Egypt on this plan, which offers a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and should also pave the way for new Palestinian governance in the enclave led by the Palestinian Authority," Macron added.
El-Sisi highlighted that he and Macron had a thorough discussion on the rapidly unfolding regional and global developments, with a particular focus on the critical situation in Gaza.
"We stressed the urgent need for an immediate return to a ceasefire, the swift delivery of humanitarian aid, and the release of captives," El-Sisi stated.
The leaders reviewed the Gaza reconstruction plan and agreed to coordinate their efforts for the upcoming conference, which Egypt intends to host once Israeli ceases its war on Gaza.
Additionally, President El-Sisi noted that during President Macron’s visit to Egypt, he would be updated on Cairo’s efforts to secure humanitarian support for Gazans, expressing gratitude for France’s ongoing support for Palestinians.
"I want to reaffirm, clearly and without ambiguity, that achieving stability and lasting peace in the Middle East will remain unattainable as long as the Palestinian cause remains unresolved and the Palestinian people continue to endure the horrors of destructive wars that devastate their resources and deprive future generations of their right to hope for a safer, more stable future," El-Sisi emphasized.
President El-Sisi also revealed that he and President Macron discussed ways to establish a credible political path to revive the peace process and establish a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He reiterated Egypt’s support for all initiatives aimed at achieving this goal.
The leaders also addressed developments in Syria and Lebanon.
El-Sisi emphasized Egypt and France’s commitment to preserving Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, stressing the importance of an inclusive political process during the country's transition.
The two leaders underscored the need to end Israel’s occupation of Syrian territories. They also expressed support for Lebanon’s newly elected president and government in their efforts to bring stability and meet the aspirations of the Lebanese people.
Both presidents called for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and strict adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Discussions also touched on water security, with President El-Sisi reaffirming Egypt's position that the Nile River is a vital lifeline for the country and the Nile Basin.
He highlighted Egypt’s commitment to fostering cooperation among these nations while respecting international law to ensure mutual benefits.
The leaders also covered the situation in Sudan and developments in the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions.
El-Sisi noted that Egypt and France agreed on the need to enhance cooperation to improve security and stability in these regions, working together to achieve a more secure and prosperous future for their people.
Additionally, El-Sisi and Macron reiterated their commitment to ensuring the smooth flow of ship traffic through the Suez Canal amid concerns over disruptions caused by attacks on vessels in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait by Yemen's Houthi rebel group, due to the genocidal Israeli war in Gaza.
President El-Sisi highlighted that these disruptions led to a $7 billion loss in Suez Canal revenues in 2024, significantly impacting global trade and supply chains.
Egyptian-French Ties
On the historical ties between Egypt and France, President El-Sisi shared that he and President Macron discussed ways to further deepen their bilateral relations across a range of priority sectors, emphasizing enhancing French investments in Egypt.
Both leaders highlighted the importance of increasing French companies' involvement in Egypt’s economic landscape, pointing to the valuable experience these firms have accumulated in the country over the past several decades.
They also emphasized the need to build on the "Egyptian-French Economic Forum " outcomes, which are scheduled for later on Monday, as a key platform to foster greater collaboration and accelerate economic growth.
Additionally, El-Sisi and Macron reaffirmed the importance of fully implementing the key elements of their new strategic partnership, which includes mutual support for international nominations and expanded cooperation in areas such as railway manufacturing localization, technical and vocational training, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and green hydrogen production.
The two leaders also addressed the ongoing cooperation between Egypt and France on migration issues, underscoring the importance of supporting Cairo’s efforts to combat illegal migration, especially since Egypt is hosting over nine million refugees.
President El-Sisi commended France’s continued support for Egypt, particularly its role in securing European Parliament approval for the second tranche of the European Union’s (EU) €4 billion financial aid package.
He noted that this approval reflects the EU’s deep appreciation of Egypt’s comprehensive strategic partnership and acknowledges the pivotal role the country plays in ensuring stability across the Middle East, Southern Mediterranean, and Africa.
In this regard, El-Sisi expressed hope for the swift finalization of the necessary steps to release the tranche as soon as possible.
Furthermore, El-Sisi highlighted that signing multiple agreements and memorandums of understanding across various sectors between Egypt and France, which took place before the press conference, represents a new chapter in strengthening the strategic cooperation between the two nations.
"We are entering a promising phase, one where we are reinforcing our cooperation to achieve mutual benefits, and at the core of it, we are strengthening the historical and deeply rooted friendship between the Egyptian and French peoples," El-Sisi concluded.
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