CAIRO – 17 December 2022: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has returned home after a busy multi-day visit to the United States, during which he participated in the US-Africa Leaders Summit.
During his visit, Sisi delivered a speech at the summit’s closing session on promoting food security and food systems resilience and held meetings with a number of top US officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and lawmakers.
Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady also posted photos for Sisi and US President Joe Biden while shaking hands and sharing a laugh at the summit.
Speaking at the summit, Sisi called on the US to invest its economic weight in alleviating the burdens of debt on the most afflicted countries, noting that the debt rate has reached serious levels exceeding 250 percent of their revenues, state’s news agency MENA reported.
This is a matter which requires taking urgent measures and exempting these countries from parts of their debts as well as activating the G20 initiative to suspend debts and formulate mechanisms to exchange the debts for investments, Sisi added.
Meeting US national security advisor
Sisi met on Friday with National Security Advisor of the US Jake Sullivan, during which the president affirmed the need for developing Egypt-US coordination on regional issues of mutual concern to be able to deal with the unprecedented challenges in the Middle East.
Sullivan praised Egypt’s role under Sisi to support security and stability in its regional surrounding, affirming US keenness to develop strategic partnership relations with Egypt over the coming period in various fields, especially on the security and military level.
Meeting with Blinken
Sisi met on Wednesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During the meeting, Blinken underscored the US commitment to strategic partnership with Egypt.
He hailed Egypt’s important role in promoting stability in the region and the decades-long bilateral defense ties between the two countries.
Blinken also emphasized the importance of a diplomatic resolution on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GRED) that would safeguard the interests of all parties.
Meeting Austin
Sisi met on Wednesday with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin at the Pentagon, expressing eagerness for reinforcing Egypt's strategic partnership with the US, particularly in the realms of defense and security.
This comes in light of the exceptional circumstances experienced by the region and the world, the Presidency said in a statement.
The two sides agreed on pushing forward the joint military relations, given they are the pillar of the US-Egypt ties and are essential to fulfill their duties pertaining to reinstating security and stability in the Middle East, according to the statement.
Meeting World Bank Group president
Sisi met on Friday with President of the World Bank Group (WBG) David Malpass, where he affirmed Egypt’s keenness to continue consultation with the leaders of the WBG to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Sisi also stressed the importance of continuing consultations between Egypt and the World Bank, especially in light of international crises and conflicts the world is facing and its repercussions on all governments, especially emerging countries.
Meeting Senator Graham
Senator Lindsey Graham welcomed Sisi’s visit to the US, praising the strong relations between Cairo and Washington in a meeting on Thursday.
Graham expressed his aspiration to strengthen and develop the strategic partnership that binds the two countries.
Sisi expressed Egypt's appreciation for the ‘distinguished relations’ that extend over decades between the two friendly countries, indicating Egypt's keenness to continue developing and strengthen this partnership in various fields of joint cooperation.
Sisi and Graham also discussed the ongoing efforts to revive the peace process in the Middle East.
In this regard, Sisi stressed that efforts to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be carried out in accordance with the constants of international references, the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative.
He stressed Egypt's support for various efforts aimed at revitalizing the peace process and resuming negotiations in a way that guarantees the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Meeting Jewish organizations
During a meeting with leaders of American Jewish organizations in the US on Thursday, Sisi said that resolving the Palestinian issue will constitute a giant step in the region's history.
He added that a solution to the Palestinian issue will also change the region’s tense reality completely and ensure a beginning of a new stage of peace, cooperation, development and peaceful co-existence.
Sisi asserted that Egypt will continue its backing for any sincere efforts that guarantees working out a fair and permanent solution to the Palestinian issue based on the international resolutions and terms of reference and the two-state solution in a way that guarantees the inherent rights of the Palestinians people.
Meeting Friends of Egypt Caucus
Sisi also met on Thursday with the Congressional Friends of Egypt Caucus, during which he highlighted Egypt's keenness to strengthen relations with the US in all aspects.
This comes within a framework of mutual respect and common interest, especially in light of the turbulent developments in the region along with the growing threat of terrorism, whose repercussions have affected many countries, Sisi added.
The caucus described Egypt as a pillar of security and stability in the Middle East and the Arab world and a pivotal partner to the US in the region.
The US Congress members also expressed deep appreciation for Egypt's successful and effective role in combating terrorism and extremist ideology, reforming religious discourse, and establishing noble concepts and values of freedom of belief and tolerance.
Breakfast with Republican leaders
Also on Thursday, Sisi participated in a working breakfast with a number of US Republican leaders, affirming Egypt’s appreciation for the US House of Representatives’ role in enhancing the partnership between the two countries.
Sisi also affirmed Egypt’s keenness to communicate with the various decision-making circles in the US to coordinate and consult on various issues of concern.
The House members expressed that they fully understand Egypt's concerns regarding GERD as a sensitive issue that is related to the Egyptian national security.
Meeting Libya’s Menfi
Sisi met on Thursday with President of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohamed Al-Menfi, where he stressed Egypt's firm position in support of the efforts of the Libyan Presidential Council under Menfi to create conditions conducive to holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.
Sisi highlighted the elections’ role in ending the current crisis in Libya by activating the will and choice of the Libyan people.
For his part, Menfi hailed Egypt's vital role in restoring peace and stability in Libya in light of the fraternal and historical relations that bind the two countries.
AmCham’s dinner banquet
Sisi participated in the dinner banquet held by the American Chamber of Commerce on Friday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Egypt and the US.
An open dialogue was held between representatives of the American business sector, who expressed their keenness to expand their existing projects in Egypt.
Sisi in this regard affirmed Egypt’s keenness to regularly communicate with investors in order to get acquainted with the problems they face and find solutions to them.
Sisi hailed the role of the US Chamber of Commerce and the Egypt- US Business Council in supporting economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Signing Pentagon’s guestbook
Sisi sign the guestbook of the US Department of Defense in the Pentagon, stressing keenness to develop relations between Egypt and the US.
“It gives me great pleasure today to visit the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, one of the oldest military institutions in the world,” Sisi wrote.
“I am also pleased to meet US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. On this occasion, as President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, I affirm my keenness to consolidate the distinguished historical relations between Egypt and the United States, for the benefit of the Egyptian and American peoples.”
“I hope that my current visit represents a new step on the road to strengthening the ties that have always brought our two countries together and enhancing joint cooperation in all fields, for the benefit of our peoples and countries.”
“I sincerely thank you for the warm welcome and wish the friendly United States all peace and advancement and further progress and prosperity.”
Message to Egyptian community in US
Sisi thanked the warm reception by the Egyptian community in the US during his stay, affirming that the government and leadership of Egypt will always support Egyptians inside the country or abroad and will spare no effort to serve its great people.
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