CAIRO – 9 December 2022: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said, Friday that most of the world’s countries, and especially developing countries are suffering from the food crisis and its repercussions.
He noted in his speech at the first China-Arab states summit in Riyadh that this crisis along with its consequences is a main motive to strengthen the Chinese-Arab partnership to face global challenge by strengthening multilateral cooperation.
President Sisi noted that “one of the most dangerous challenges the world, particularly developing countries, are facing today is the food crisis and its repercussions. This urges us to strengthen the Arab-China Partnership in the face of these challenges”
“These crises have also burdened our countries and their government budgets, which urges the international community to reduce the debt burden on countries that suffer from high food and energy import bills. This shall take place while working to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system, and redrafting the frameworks of governance of the international economy and international financial institutions in order to be more fair, transparent, all-inclusive, not eliminating developing countries, and more responsive to the challenges these countries are facing. This is, in addition to refocusing their tasks on achieving the goals of sustainable development, mainly “the eradication of poverty”. Sisi said.
Sisi added that “Arab-China cooperation was established on maximizing benefits and joint interests, addressing development challenges, boosting South-South cooperation and prioritizing the preservation of international peace and security and the International Order, which are based on the UN Charter, international law, seeking peaceful political solutions for international and regional crises, and respect for the special characteristics of the peoples and their freedom of choice, without guardianship or foreign intervention.”
Sisi also highlighted hosting Egypt for COP27, despite all global challenges. “Despite the global challenges, some of which I mentioned, and the sharp global polarization, Egypt’s COP27 Presidency succeeded in convincing the international community to reach consensus on a large number of vital matters during the World Climate Summit, COP27. On top of these are the establishment of “The Loss and Damage Fund”, an agreement on taking serious steps to reinvigorate and implement international funding pledges, and adaptation and mitigation actions in a balanced manner.”
“I am confident that our cooperation during Egypt’s COP27 Presidency, whether on the bilateral level or within the framework of “The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum”, will secure the implementation of the “Global Commitment to Climate Change”, particularly those pertinent to financing by developed countries.” Sisi said.
Sisi said that “there is no doubt that all of us will spare no effort to strengthen and support the existing partnerships between us, foremost of which is the partnership within “The Belt and Road” and “Global Development” Initiatives, and the opportunities they offer to magnifying Arab-China cooperation and boost investment opportunities in various fields.”
He called on everyone “to consider this summit as a new starting point for economic cooperation between the Arab world and China. While China is already the leading trade partner of a large number of Arab countries and we share vital investment cooperation, there are still broad prospects for cooperation between our countries, and we can achieve more and more in numerous economic, development and technological fields.”
Sisi confirmed that “prospects for Arab-China cooperation and opportunities for its development are not limited to the economic and development aspects, but extend to political and cultural areas.”
“China’s balanced policies towards various Arab issues, in general, and the Palestinian issue, in particular, as well as China’s support for the Palestinian legitimate right to establish an independent Palestinian State, along the June 4th, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, were highly appreciated and respected in the Arab world.” Sisi said.
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