Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, conducted a phone call on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres.

The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, stated that Dr. Abdelatty commended the UN Secretary-General’s diligent efforts to enhance the operational framework of the UN and his initiation of impactful initiatives that have garnered widespread international support since he assumed office, including the “Summit of the Future” initiative, scheduled to take place during the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Minister Abdelatty also commended the UN Secretary-General’s courageous and sincere positions on various international issues during his leadership of the UN, particularly regarding the Gaza Strip crisis, which align with the UN Charter and uphold the principles and rules of international law.

For his part, t
he UN Secretary-General was keen to convey his greetings and appreciation to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for his leading role in supporting stability, peace, and conflict resolution in the region.

The Spokesperson added that the call extensively discussed the developments in the Gaza Strip crisis and the serious escalation in the region due to the ongoing war’s repercussions. The UN Secretary-General appreciated Egypt’s relentless efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, affirming the UN’s full support for these efforts aimed at alleviating the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people.

Both sides agreed on the urgent need to reach a deal for an immediate ceasefire, ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the exchange of hostages and detainees. They emphasized that halting the war in the Gaza Strip would contribute to reducing the escalation across the entire region. In this context, Dr. Abdelatty was keen to brief the UN Secretary-General on Egypt’s ongoing communications aimed
at defusing the dangerous escalation in the region and preventing the expansion of the conflict, which threatens regional stability and the safety of its people. He also briefed the UN Secretary-General on the Egyptian-American-Qatari mediation efforts to urgently stop the war, noting the seriousness of Israel’s provocative actions, including political assassinations and violations of state sovereignty, which exacerbate the conflict and tensions throughout the region.

On the other hand, Ambassador Abu Zeid indicated that the discussion also touched on the developments in the Sudanese crisis. In this context, Dr. Abdelatty emphasized the constants of the Egyptian stance, which are based on the necessity of achieving a ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to address the worsening humanitarian situation, as well as the need to respect Sudan’s sovereignty and preserve the institutions and resources of its brotherly people. Both sides welcomed the decision by Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Co
uncil to open the Adre border crossing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to citizens affected by the war. They stressed the importance of urgently capitalizing on this development to deliver humanitarian aid urgently and adequately across all parts of Sudan.

In a related context, Dr. Abdelatty welcomed the UN Secretariat’s response to the demands of a large group of countries by creating the position of “UN Water Envoy,” with plans to announce it in the near future. This decision comes in light of the high importance placed on this issue by countries facing water scarcity. Dr. Abdelatty also commended the UN’s positive stance on the UNGA resolution submitted by the Islamic group in New York to appoint a “UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia,” emphasizing Egypt’s readiness to play an active role in supporting the UN Secretary-General’s efforts in this regard.

The Spokesperson concluded his remarks by stating that both sides agreed on the importance of continuing consultation and coordination
in the coming period regarding international and regional issues of mutual interest, as well as topics on the agenda of the upcoming session of the UNGA.

Source: State Information Service Egypt