Sisi affirms to US Congress members Egypt’s commitment to reaching binding GERD deal

CAIRO – 30 August 2023: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has affirmed Egypt’s commitment to reaching a legally-binding agreement with regard to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in a meeting with US Congress members on Wednesday.

President Sisi discussed the developments of ongoing negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the dam as he received a high-level delegation of Congress members from the Democratic and Republican parties, including Senator Lindsey Graham and Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Salem Shoukry attended the meeting.

Egypt and Sudan have resumed their GERD talks with Ethiopia earlier this week with the two downstream aspiring for a legally-binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.

Egypt and Sudan have urged Ethiopia against unilateral practices on GERD, warning that filling and operating the dam without a binding deal can pose an “existential” threat to the downstream countries.

However, Egypt said after the talks that were held in Cairo that it did not see any tangible change in Ethiopia's positions with regard to the dam.

Egypt-US cooperation

Sisi’s meeting with the US Congress members stressed the strength of decades-long strategic partnership between Egypt and the US and the importance that the two countries attach to enhancing their relations at the official, parliamentary and popular levels.

This comes especially in light of a turbulent regional and international situation and the growing challenges and crises regarding food, energy and funding, which affected many countries worldwide.

Sisi and the Congress members held an open dialogue, where they discussed means of strengthening the bilateral relations, especially at the economic level and enhancing the investments of American companies in Egypt.

The meeting highlighted the comprehensive development efforts underway in Egypt, especially in terms of modernizing infrastructure and establishing new cities.

The meeting also shed light on Egypt’s development efforts in the sectors of oil, gas, renewable and green energy and agricultural land reclamation.

Also, the two sides discussed during the meeting Egypt's efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideology, promote human rights and establish the values of religious tolerance, the culture of coexistence and citizenship principles.

Regional, int’l isues

Meanwhile, the two sides discussed the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its geopolitical and economic repercussions as well as ways to enhance international peace and security.

The talks also tackled regional developments, especially in Sudan, Libya and Syria.

The two sides agreed on the importance of speeding up political solutions to these crises in a way that preserves the unity of states, the integrity of their territories and their people’s resources.

The meeting emphasized the importance of the positive and vital Egyptian role in this regard.

Among the issues discussed was the Palestinian cause. In this regard, the US delegation praised Egypt’s pivotal role in laying and consolidating the foundations for peace in the Middle East.

For his part, Sisi stressed Egypt's firm stance regarding the necessity to advance international efforts to reach a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people.

This solution must ensure the establishment of the Palestinian people’s independent state in accordance with the relevant international legitimacy resolutions in a way that opens broad horizons for lasting peace, security, peaceful coexistence and prosperity for all peoples of the region, the president added.