Egypt's FM begins his visit to Washington with intensive meetings with Congress members

CAIRO - 19 September 2024: Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdel Aaty, began his visit to Washington, with intensive meetings with a number of members of Congress. 

Minister Abdel Aaty met on Thursday with Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Representative Katherine Clark, Democratic Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, and Republican Senator Susan Collins, Minority Leader of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in separate meetings.

Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, explained that the Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed various aspects of bilateral relations, stressing the special nature of the Egyptian-American strategic partnership that extends for decades and achieves mutual benefit. 

In this context, he discussed launching a new round of strategic dialogue between the two countries in Cairo.

During his meetings, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was keen to emphasize the importance of enhancing cooperation between Egypt and the United States in the economic field, by increasing the volume of US investments in the country, and the ongoing coordination with the American Chamber of Commerce to host the Future of Egypt Economic Forum in Cairo next year, which represents a qualitative leap in the rates of trade exchange and investments between the two countries.

The Minister reviewed the steps and measures taken by the Egyptian government to advance the human rights system in Egypt, including issuing the National Strategy for Human Rights and reviewing legislation related to the Criminal Procedure Code, in addition to the achievements made in the field of women's rights and religious freedoms. Ambassador Khilaf added that the Foreign Minister's meetings addressed the crises in the region, and in this context he pointed to the unprecedented strikes witnessed by the border countries with Egypt, which is reflected in the increased severity of the risks and economic and security consequences on them.

Dr. Abdel-Ati reviewed the repercussions of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, stressing Egypt's position rejecting any form of displacement of Palestinians, or the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, and the necessity of Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor to allow the resumption of the flow of humanitarian aid.

He also stressed the need to work to avoid the expansion of the conflict in the region as a result of the continuation of Israeli practices and policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In this regard, he reviewed the intensive efforts made by Egypt with various parties to urge them not to escalate and exercise self-restraint.

Dr. Abdel-Ati discussed the Sudan file, stressing Egypt's supportive stance towards the Sudanese state institutions, as the only way to restore stability and security in the country, and the importance of intensifying humanitarian support for Sudan and international partners fulfilling their pledges. The meetings also discussed the Libyan files and the security of navigation in the Red Sea.