Abdelatty’s remarks were made during a joint press conference with Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu in Cairo following their talks in the Egyptian capital on Sunday.

Abdelatty expressed rejection of Israel's demand for UNIFIL forces to withdraw from their positions and rejected any external guardianship over the Lebanese people.

He also stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

The Egyptian foreign minister clarified that the discussions with his Romanian counterpart included reviewing Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and reach an agreement for the release of captives and detainees.

Abdelatty added that he discussed with Odobescu ways to prevent escalation in the region and avoid the descent into a broader regional war.

Speaking of bilateral relations between the two countries, Abdelatty highlighted that Odobescu has expressed her country’s willingness to benefit from Egypt’s skilled labour force and boost cooperation with Egypt in education.

In addition, Abdelatty noted that he discussed the water issue with Odobescu, highlighting the existential nature of the problem to Egypt.

For her part, Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu emphasized that Egypt is a historic partner to Romania in Africa and globally.

She added that Egypt is a key player in peace and stability in the Middle East and Africa, commending Egypt’s efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.

Moreover, Odobescu stressed that ongoing violence in the region hinders reaching just and lasting peace.

The two foreign ministers, accompanied by Minister of Culture Ahmed Hano, had inaugurated a training course on post-conflict reconstruction, development, and stability in the Sahel region.

This course is organized by the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Romanian Development Agency.