CAIRO: The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, has stressed the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid. He also called for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor, as a step towards the full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the establishment of the Palestinian state on all of its national territory.

He made during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, where they held talks to launch a new round of the Egyptian-American strategic dialogue, in the presence of several Egyptian ministers.

The two ministers discussed a number of regional issues, including the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, developments in Sudan and Libya, and the freedom of maritime navigation in the Red Sea.

Dr. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for the unity and sovereignty of Somalia, rejecting any attempts to undermine its integrity. He also stresse
d the importance of reaching a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and rejected any unilateral measures that may harm the interests of the downstream countries.

Abdel Aty further highlighted the importance of increasing US support for Egypt’s developmental and economic programmes, expressing his desire to enhance cooperation in the fields of digital transformation, renewable energy, and green hydrogen. He also underscored the opportunities offered by the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

Source: Emirates News Agency