His Excellency Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, stressed the centrality of Egyptian-Gulf relations and the priority that the political leadership in Egypt gives to these relations, emphasizing the importance of strengthening them.
This came during his reception today in Cairo of His Excellency Jassim Mohammed Al-Badawi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in a bilateral meeting, before holding an expanded session attended by delegations from both sides.
Abdel-Ati stressed that the security, stability and prosperity of the Gulf States is a direct Egyptian interest and lies at the heart of collective Arab national security, pointing out that Egyptian-Gulf relations have deep historical roots and multiple stages of solidarity and integration in facing various challenges, and are currently witnessing a tangible boom in the fields of political, economic and social cooperation, whether through mutual visits at the level of leaders, or continuous consultations at the ministerial level and senior officials on various priority files.
Minister Abdel-Ati said that the increasing current challenges, both Arab and international, require everyone to show more solidarity and cooperation, as these challenges are beyond the ability of any single country to confront them, but rather require the integration of the capabilities of the brothers and the coordination of their positions in dealing with them.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister praised the political consultation mechanism between Egypt and the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as it provides a platform for meetings and consultations between the two sides at the ministerial level, as well as at the level of senior officials and experts, which confirms the message of integration and cooperation in an institutional and periodic manner.
Abdel-Ati also praised what Egypt witnessed at the last ministerial meeting of the Consultation Mechanism (Riyadh – March 2024), and the words of the Secretary-General of the Council and the GCC Ministers, expressing appreciation and pride in Egyptian-Gulf relations, stressing the great convergence of positions and solidarity with Egypt in facing challenges.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister welcomed the outcomes of the meeting, which included the adoption of a joint action plan between the two sides, and pointed out the importance of completing the technical meetings on it, with a focus on achieving tangible results for cooperation in the sectors included in the action plan, and proposing focusing on a number of sectors to achieve a success story through them.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out the importance of paying attention to the investment file, and focusing on exploring investment opportunities that benefit all parties, in addition to promoting aspects of cooperation in the fields of clean energy, tourism, vocational education and cultural exchange, and encouraging the involvement of the private sector from both sides in various fields.
The meeting addressed the risks and threats surrounding the region, especially the situation in the Gaza Strip and the tension in Lebanon and the risks it entails, as well as the continuing crisis in Yemen and the Red Sea, with its repercussions on international navigation and the Suez Canal, in addition to the crises in Sudan, Libya, Syria and Somalia.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council praised the level of distinguished bilateral relations between Egypt and the Gulf States, whether in the bilateral or collective framework under the umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Council, stressing that the two sides intend to achieve more successes and activate the provisions of the joint action plan to advance relations to broader horizons.
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