'Egypt's water security is matter of existence': Egyptian FM to Swedish counterpart

CAIRO – 21 October 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdel Aty received Monday a phone call from his Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard as they conferred over bilateral ties and conflicts in the Middle East.

The minister began by congratulating Stenergard on taking office last month, expressing aspiration to bolstering economic relations and boosting Swedish investments in the energy sector among others. He also expressed interest in scheduling the second session of the Swedish-Egyptian Business Forum in Cairo building on the success of the first one hosted in Stockholm last year.  

As for regional affairs, the Egyptian minister condemned the Israeli escalation in Gaza Strip and Lebanon, and violations to humanitarian international law, underlining the salience of an immediate ceasefire and unconditional supply of aid. In that framework, he commended the role played by Sweden in supporting the work of the UNRWA denouncing Israel's attempts to cripple its activities.

The minister further noted that regional peace, security and stability would be achieved by establishing a Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 having as capital East Jerusalem.

In a related context, Minister Abdel Aty condemned Israel's targeting of the UNIFIL, asserting the salience that all parties abide by UNSC resolution no.1701 issued in 2006 on halting hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. He also stressed the importance of empowering Lebanon's state institutions, and of selecting a president by national consensus.

The minister concluded by tackling Egypt's water security and the dispute with Ethiopia, stipulating that it was a matter of existence, as well as the battles in Sudan, clarifying Egypt's stance on the crisis, and that aims for preserving the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and state institutions. He equally stipulated the cruciality of delivering humanitarian aid.