Sisi discusses mutual ties with Italian, Norwegian PMs and Tanzanian counterpart

Ahram Online , Sunday 3 Dec 2023

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held separate meetings on Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Tanzanian President Samia Hassan, on the sidelines of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

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Egypt s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Dubai, UAE, 2 December 2023. Photo: Egyptian Presidency

 

During their meetings, all four leaders confirmed their commitment to strengthening their respective bilateral relations, including strategic cooperation, according to Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy.

El-Sisi and Meloni emphasized interest in coordinating and consulting on political, security, military, developmental, and economic issues to promote security and stability across the Middle East, the Mediterranean Basin, and the African continent.

Speaking about the Israeli war on Gaza, the Italian PM thanked Egypt for its pivotal role in advancing peace efforts in the region, as demonstrated by its hosting of the Cairo Summit for Peace in October.

El-Sisi also reviewed Egypt’s efforts to protect civilians in Gaza by reaching a ceasefire and providing safe and urgent access for humanitarian relief aid.

The president reiterated the vital need for the international community to assume its responsibilities to end the escalation, paving the way for diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of the Palestinian cause and restore the peace process.

Norwegian prime minister
 

The meeting between El-Sisi and Støre touched on ways Egypt can benefit from Norwegian expertise in clean energy, in addition to ways to enhance tripartite cooperation between Egypt and Norway in Africa.

Both leaders reviewed the latest regional developments, notably in the Gaza Strip, following the Cairo Peace Summit and the extraordinary Arab Islamic Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The two sides stressed that the only way out of the current crisis is to find a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution. They also emphasized the importance of pushing a ceasefire in light of the serious humanitarian consequences of continuing military operations.

El-Sisi also stressed that Egypt continues to coordinate regional and international efforts to reach a truce and deliver aid to the Gaza Strip.

Tanzanian president  
 

The presidents of Egypt and Tanzania explored ways to strengthen bilateral relations, especially through Egyptian investments in Tanzania and technical cooperation and capacity building to train Tanzanian personnel.

The meeting also highlighted Egypt’s assistance in building Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere hydroelectric dam.

El-Sisi assured his counterpart that he was following up on the project to ensure the highest levels of performance.

Both presidents exchanged views on Africa’s most prominent emerging issues and ways to enhance joint African action. They also talked about maximizing cooperation between the Nile Basin countries based on the historical heritage and common ties that unite them.

El-Sisi arrived in Dubai Thursday to participate in the presidential segment of COP28, which is being hosted by the UAE from 30 November to 12 December. 

In his speech on Friday, El-Sisi called for global cooperation to achieve climate action goals, noting the gravity of current political and international challenges, coinciding with the pressing consequences of climate change.

The Egyptian president has also used the opportunity to meet with a number of world leaders, with the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza at the top of the agenda.

On Friday, he met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who commended Egypt’s role in coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

On Saturday, he met with US Vice President Kamala Harris, who told El-Sisi that “under no circumstance, the United States will permit the forced relocation of Palestinians.”

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