From Gaza and Sudan to Water Security: Egyptian-American Meeting Discusses Sensitive Files

SadaNews - On Sunday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdel Aty, received U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, where they discussed ways to enhance the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States, as well as developing bilateral relations in political and economic fields, in addition to discussing the latest developments in Gaza, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Egypt's water security file.

The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, stated that both sides valued the depth of the strategic partnership between the two countries and the ongoing cooperation in various political, economic, and military fields, and commended the continuous coordination regarding regional issues.

He added that the meeting included discussions on the economic aspect of bilateral relations, where Minister Abdel Aty expressed hope for holding the second edition of the Egyptian-American Economic Forum during the first half of this year, which would contribute to attracting more American investments to Egypt and expanding areas of cooperation in priority sectors.

The spokesperson clarified that the meeting addressed the developments in the Gaza Strip, where Minister Abdel Aty welcomed Egypt's joining the Council of Peace and praised the prominent role of the U.S. President in reaching the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement, emphasizing the importance of implementing the requirements of the second phase of the plan, supporting the national committee for managing Gaza, swiftly deploying an international stability force to monitor the ceasefire, opening the Rafah crossing in both directions, and ensuring the Israeli withdrawal from the strip, which paves the way for an early recovery phase and reconstruction, and guarantees the continuous flow of humanitarian aid without obstacles.

Regarding the situations in Sudan, the Foreign Minister stressed the importance of reaching a humanitarian ceasefire and establishing safe corridors and havens, paving the way for a comprehensive ceasefire, emphasizing the necessity of initiating a comprehensive political process with Sudanese ownership, reiterating Egypt's firm position supporting the respect for Sudan's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and the maintenance of its national institutions.

The meeting also discussed the developments in the Horn of Africa, where Minister Abdel Aty confirmed that any recognition of what is known as "Somaliland" is a violation of international law and infringes on the sovereignty and territorial unity of Somalia, warning of the repercussions of escalation on the security and stability of the region and the Red Sea.

Concerning the water security file, Minister Abdel Aty stated that the Nile River represents the lifeblood of the Egyptian people, emphasizing Egypt's commitment to serious and constructive cooperation with Nile Basin countries according to international law principles, achieving mutual interests without harming any party, and a complete rejection of unilateral measures.

For his part, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State praised the close relations between Egypt and the United States, and what the strategic partnership achieves in terms of mutual benefit, appreciating the efforts made by Egypt to support security and stability in the region.