French President Emmanuel Macron attended the event.
According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, the Paris meeting aims to build on the outcomes of the Aqaba meeting hosted by Jordan in December 2024 and the Riyadh meeting in Saudi Arabia in January.
The conference was attended by foreign ministers and representatives of France, Syria, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
During his speech at the conference, the Egyptian FM stressed the need to include all Syrian society’s components and factions in this transitional process without excluding any parties.
He also emphasized that this process should ensure representation from all societal, religious, sectarian, and ethnic groups in Syria to facilitate a successful transition.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdelatty underscored that such a process must align with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2254.
He reaffirmed the need for inclusive national political participation in the transitional phase to rebuild Syria and its national institutions and regain its global role.
Abdelatty further reiterated Cairo’s stance on safeguarding Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, reaffirming Egypt’s full support to its people.
He highlighted the urgency of counterterrorism cooperation, stressing that Syria must not become a hub for terrorist groups but rather a stabilizing force in the region.
Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's government in early December, Egypt has consistently called for launching a comprehensive and inclusive political process in Syria.
In late December, Abdelatty reaffirmed in his first phone call with Syria's interim Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, Egypt's full support for the Syrian people.
In late January, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi congratulated Syria’s interim President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, on assuming the presidency during the country's transitional phase.
Syria has suffered 13 years of civil war, killing over 500,000 people, displaced millions, and rendered half of the country's hospitals non-operational.
An estimated 1.5 million Syrians reside in Egypt, representing the second-largest foreign community in the country after Sudanese nationals.
Sustaining Gaza ceasefire
In his speech, FM Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s diplomatic efforts to sustain and implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement in all three phases and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the strip.
The Egyptian FM also pointed out that Cairo is currently working on developing a comprehensive plan to support the Palestinians in Gaza.
He noted that the plan aims to launch programmes and projects focused on early recovery, clearing debris, and reconstruction while ensuring Palestinians remain on their land.
For his part, Macron commended Egypt’s dedicated efforts in this regard and its role in promoting security and stability in the region.
He further affirmed France’s support for these initiatives while emphasizing the importance of Palestinians staying on their land.
During a separate meeting, FM Abdelatty reiterated to his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot Egypt’s firm stance, alongside Arab and Islamic nations, on the Palestinian cause.
He stressed Cairo’s commitment to fulfilling the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent Palestinian state, following international legitimacy resolutions, to achieve security and stability in the Middle East.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot in Paris. Photo: Egyptian Foreign Ministry
More to discuss!
During his visit, FM Abdelatty held separate meetings with the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, Lebanese FM Youssef Raji, and Bahraini FM Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
FM Abdelatty with UN envoy Pedersen
FM Abdelatty with Lebanese counterpart Raji
FM Abdelatty also met with German FM Annalena Baerbock, Spanish FM José Albares, Greek FM Giorgos Gerapetritis, Canadian FM Mélanie Joly, and Ukrainian FM Andriy Sybiha.
The Egyptian top diplomat also witnessed the repatriation of smuggled Egyptian artefacts, which the Egyptian Embassy in Paris recovered in coordination with the French Ministry of Interior.
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