Shoukry: We warn of the dangers of any Israeli invasion of Palestinian Rafah

CAIRO - 17 February 2024: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met, on the sidelines of his participation in the Munich Security Conference meetings, with Lieutenant General Hanen Ould Sidi, Mauritanian Minister of National Defense, in order to enhance aspects of joint cooperation between the two countries.

 

Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealed that Minister Shoukri congratulated the Mauritanian side on winning the presidency of the African Union (AU), stressing Egypt’s support for Mauritania during its presidency of the AU.

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also expressed his aspiration to hold the joint committee between the two countries during the first half of this year in Mauritania.

 

The official spokesman added that the Minister of Foreign Affairs also reviewed Egypt's vision regarding the current developments in the Gaza Strip, pointing to Egypt's tireless efforts to establish a truce, and to seek immediate implementation of the ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid without any obstacles.

 

Minister Shoukri reaffirmed Egypt's firm position calling for the need to avoid risks related to expanding the circle of conflict, and warned of the dangers of any Israeli invasion of Palestinian Rafah, which would have extremely negative repercussions at all levels.

 

Ambassador Abu Zeid stated that the two ministers exchanged visions regarding the current situation in the Sahel and Sahara region, in terms of enhancing joint cooperation in confronting terrorism and the security challenges surrounding the region. It has been emphasized that these challenges must be confronted by formulating an integrated vision that is not limited to the security aspect only, but extends to combating extremist thought with enlightened centrist thought.

 

For his part, Lieutenant General Ould Sidi praised the depth of the fraternal relations between the two countries, stressing Mauritania’s full support to Egyptian interests in all frameworks and within the corridors of the African Union. The Mauritanian Minister of Defense also stressed that with regard to the security challenges facing the Sahel and Sahara region, his country is counting on strengthening cooperation with Egypt, in light of the great security expertise that Egypt possesses in relation to combating terrorism.

 

He also stressed the importance of the role of religious institutions in confronting extremist thought, led by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, which is considered a beacon of moderate thought in the Islamic world.