Sisi, Salman agree to counter rifts among Region’s countries

CAIRO – 5 March 2018: President Abdel Fatah El Sisi received on Sunday Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

They discussed ways of enhancing global efforts against terrorism. They also President Sisi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a bilateral session of talks, followed by an expanded meeting attended by the two countries’ delegations.


Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is paying an official three-day visit to Egypt.

President Sisi welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his first official visit to Egypt as heir to the throne. The President emphasized that Egypt’s leadership and people have a high regard and appreciation for The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, given the historic relations and bonds between the two countries.

President El Sisi underscored Egypt’s commitment to promoting bilateral cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across various fields, demonstrating the level of the outstanding strategic relations between Egypt and the Kingdom. The President pointed out the important and delicate timing of the visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Egypt, given the current challenges in the Middle East, which necessitate coordination between Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed the greetings of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to President El Sisi. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman confirmed his keenness on making his first foreign trip since becoming crown prince to Egypt, given the profound and robust close relations that bind Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in addition to their common history and shared destiny.

The Saudi Crown Prince hoped his visit will generate momentum to the strategic relations between the two countries and strengthen bilateral cooperation across all fields so as to contribute to enhancing Arab and Islamic unity and joint action in the face of the current threats to the nation.

The meeting touched on ways to enhance various aspects of the two countries’ relations, primarily economic and investment cooperation. This is in addition to establishing more joint projects, given the promising investment opportunities in the two countries, particularly in the field of tourism investment in the Red Sea area so as to maximize the benefit from its huge touristic potential.

The talks also tackled a range of current regional issues. The discussions demonstrated a mutual understanding between the two sides regarding various regional dossiers. They agreed to continue to exert joint efforts to reach political settlements to ongoing crises in a number of countries in the region in order to end the ensuing humanitarian sufferings and to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of these countries.

They also agreed on continuing to work together to counter regional interventions and attempts to sow division and rifts among the region’s countries. This is in addition to uniting in the face of threats and challenges facing the Arab region, primarily terrorism and states sponsoring it. President El Sisi reiterated that the security of the Gulf countries is integral to Egypt’s national security, and stressed that any threats against them will be effectively countered.