Ministers highlight Egypt-South Africa partnership, support to Palestinian people

CAIRO - 14 November 2024: Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Badr Abdelatty held a press conference with South African Minister of International Relations and International Cooperation Ronald Lamola, following their Thursday meeting in Cairo. 

Both ministers touched on a number of important international and regional issues, in addition to stressing the strong ties and bilateral relations between both states. 

"We agreed on the need to immediately stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and put an end to the unprecedented humanitarian tragedy in the Strip. We affirm in this regard Egypt's full appreciation for South Africa's positions in support of the rights of the Palestinian people,” Minister Abdelatty said during his remarks at the press conference Thursday. 

He continued: "We touched on the repeated attacks in the West Bank, in addition to the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, the crises in Libya and Sudan, the situation in Somalia, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes regions and the Lake Chad Basin."

He further added, "We agreed again on the need to continue joint efforts aimed at containing and defeating terrorism by adopting a comprehensive strategy for various security, development and intellectual dimensions, in addition to eliminating organized crime that threatens the security and safety of African countries and societies."

For Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, he said during the joint press conference with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, that “there is a convergence of visions with Egypt regarding supporting bilateral cooperation.”

He added that “we appreciate Egypt's efforts to stop the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”

He also commented on the meeting he held with Abdelatty, saying that “we look forward to moving the level of relations with Egypt to a strategic partnership, and we are working with Egypt to support increasing investments and trade between the two countries.”

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also said that Egypt is working to enhance cooperation with South Africa, adding “we agreed on the importance of supporting African development issues on the international agenda in light of South Africa's upcoming presidency of the G20.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also explained that the Cairo-Cape Town land link project is one of the important signs in bilateral and continental cooperation between Egypt and South Africa, “as it enhances the link between the north and south of the continent,” in cooperation with the African Union as one of the infrastructure linkage projects, and the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Minister Abdelatty stressed that the prospects for coordination and joint cooperation between the two countries include reforming and developing the African Union, in addition to enhancing the role of the BRICS member states, “in order to confront the serious challenges facing the continent, especially in the areas of peace and security and ways to seize the opportunities inherent in the two countries in order to bring about serious changes in our reality.”

Both ministers highlighted the cooperation between the two states in order to stop the tragic suffering experienced by the people of Gaza, and to work to immediately stop the Israeli aggression on the strip. 

In this regard, Minister Abdelatty praised South Africa's stance and efforts in support of the rights of the Palestinian people.

Minister Abdelatty explained in a press conference with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola that the first consultation session between the two countries also touched on many regional issues such as the Israeli conflict in Lebanon, the situation in Sudan, the Great Lakes regions and the Sahel region, Sudan and the southern African region, and working to continue joint efforts to contain and defeat terrorism, as well as eliminate organized crime, which threatens the security and safety of the African continent.

The meeting between both ministers tackled: the Israeli conflict in Lebanon, the situation in Sudan, the Great Lakes regions and the Sahel region, Sudan and the southern African region, and working to continue joint efforts to contain and defeat terrorism, as well as eliminate organized crime, which threatens the security and safety of the African continent.

The two ministers also discussed ways of joint cooperation within the framework of the G20 and full coordination with South Africa in order to work on reforming the global financial system to be more democratic.

Abdelatty pointed out that the convening of an Egyptian-South African business forum with the participation of the Investment Authority, the Ministries of Foreign Trade, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Small Business Development, with the participation of a number of Egyptian and South African companies, represents an opportunity for the private sector in the two countries to invest in various sectors, including artificial intelligence, infrastructure, construction, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry, and others.

The Egyptian Minister explained that relations between the two countries have been upgraded to the level of African partnership, based on direct guidance and continuous follow-up from the leaderships of the two countries.

Minister Abdelatty further stressed the joint cooperation between the two countries, in order to reform the Security Council and lift injustice from the African continent, for fair representation in international forums.