Guterres to President Sisi: Egypt's role is a cornerstone for strengthening stability in the Middle East and Africa

Special Report: Nairobi

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met today with Antonio GuterresThe Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the sidelines of the “Africa-France” summit held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Egypt's role as a pillar of stability in the Middle East and Africa

The official spokesman for the Presidency of the Republic stated that at the beginning of the meeting, the President expressed Egypt’s appreciation for Guterres“ efforts and leadership of the UN system during the past years, in light of extremely complex international circumstances and multiple crises, appreciating the existing cooperation between Egypt and the United Nations, whether with regard to regional crises and conflicts, or within the framework of fruitful development cooperation within the “United Nations Framework for Cooperation with Egypt 2023-2027”, which supports the state’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

For his part, the Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for the cooperation shown by Egypt since he took office, praising the diplomatic efforts undertaken by the President to promote security and stability in the Middle East and Africa, describing the Egyptian role as the cornerstone of these efforts.

The danger of uncertainty regarding a war with Iran

Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the official spokesperson, added that the meeting addressed current regional developments, foremost among them the Iranian crisis. The discussion reflected a convergence of views between the President and the Secretary-General regarding the gravity of the current uncertainty and its negative repercussions for the region and the world. Emphasis was placed on the priority of supporting efforts aimed at reaching peaceful settlements to conflicts in a manner that preserves the sovereignty of states and the well-being of their people. In this context, the President reviewed Egypt's efforts to restore regional security and stability in coordination with active international and regional partners, stressing Egypt's full support for the brotherly Gulf states and its rejection of any attacks on their sovereignty and security.

The President emphasized the pivotal role of UN agencies in providing and delivering humanitarian aid, both in Sudan and the Gaza Strip. For his part, the Secretary-General noted the significant challenges facing the work of UN agencies, particularly funding pressures, and commended Egypt's prominent role in alleviating human suffering caused by conflicts and crises, especially in Sudan and the Gaza Strip.