Egypt’s Sisi, Trump discuss Libyan crisis, Ethiopian Renaissance Dam file

CAIRO - 20 July 2020: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi made a phone call with his American counterpart Donald Trump on Monday to discuss the latest developments regarding the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Libyan crisis, said Egyptian presidential spokesperson Bassam Radi in a statement.

In the phone call, President Sisi reviewed Egypt's consistent strategic position towards the Libyan issue, that stresses the importance of bringing stability to Libya, preserving its national institutions, and preventing illegal foreign interventions that seek to deteriorate the security situation in Libya," Radi said.

Radi added that the US president voiced his understanding of the Egyptian concerns regarding the negative repercussions of the Libyan crisis on the region, praising the Egyptian efforts that aim at enhancing the political course in Libya.

Both leaders also tackled the current developments of the GERD file, besides other issues related to strategic bilateral relations," Radi continued.

The phone call was made on the same day the Egyptian Parliament (House of Representatives) is holding a secret session to approve a presidential decree allowing the Egyptian army to intervene in Libya, upon a request from the leaders of Libyan tribes, to confront the Turkish presence in the Libyan territories.

On July 16,  Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi referred to possible Egyptian intervention in Libya, during a meeting with Libyan tribal leaders, promising that Egypt will intervene "only at the Libyans' request and withdraw upon their order.” Sisi added that Egypt is willing to receive and train youth from tribes to help build a Libyan national army.

Sisi affirmed during the conference that Egypt supports the unified Libyan state, excluding armed and extremist militias. He added that the Sirte-Jufra red line shall not be crossed, describing it as a call for peace by Egypt to activate the political solution in the country.

The oil-enriched area of Sirte-Jufra is now under the control of commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar, while the forces of Libyan national accord- led by Fayez al-Sarraj- seeks, in cooperation with Turkey-backed militias and mercenaries, to seize the area from Haftar’s forces.