Egypt FM, new US state secretary discuss Gaza, Ethiopian dam in first phone call

CAIRO – 24 January 2025: Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have underscored the significance of the strategic partnership between both countries for promoting regional peace, security, and stability.

As they made their first phone call since Rubio started his tenure as the top US diplomat under President Donald Trump on Tuesday, the ministers discussed various regional challenges, including the ceasefire in Gaza and Egypt’s water security.

Their phone call comes a few days after a ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US after more than a year of mediation.

The three-phase agreement has halted over 15 months of unrelenting Israeli strikes against the enclave and allowing Hamas and Israel to swap captives and prisoners.

The Palestinian movement still holds more than 90 captives out of 252 that they captured during the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel. The first 105 captives were released during a week-long ceasefire brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US in November 2023.

Abdelatty affirmed to Rubio the importance of ongoing coordination between Egypt, Qatar and the US to ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The top Egyptian diplomat stressed the necessity that all parties respect the provisions of the ceasefire and work on implementing its phases on the specified dates.

Abdelatty affirmed the importance of achieving a final settlement of the Palestinian cause that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution.

The foreign minister highlighted the significance of such settlement in avoiding cycles of violence between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Rubio commended the Egypt-US strategic partnership and the efforts made by Egypt in the Middle East, including the Egyptian role in reaching a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner-captive swap in Gaza.

The US secretary said the new administration is committed to advancing bilateral relations with Egypt in various fields.

NILE CRISIS

Abdelatty and Rubio discussed Egyptian water security and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) file.

Over the past decade, Egypt and Sudan have been in dispute with Ethiopia over its mammoth GERD project established on the Blue Nile over concerns that the dam threatens the two downstream countries’ water interests.

The upstream country, Ethiopia, has insisted to continue filling and operating the dam without consultation with Egypt and Sudan and while brushing aside their call for a binding agreement regarding the dam, which would ensure the dam causes the downstream countries no harm.

Abdelatty and Rubio discussed “Egypt’s existential need for water security and the importance of advancing a diplomatic solution on the Nile River in the interest of all parties,” according to a statement by US State Department’s Spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

REGIONAL STABILITY

The ministers discussed consecutive regional developments and crises, including the situation in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya and the Horn of Africa.

They also discussed the Red Sea security and freedom of navigation.

Regarding the Syrian developments, Bruce said the ministers underlined “the need to prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or from posing a threat to its neighbors.”

The ministers also discussed “the need to press the belligerents [in Sudan] to end hostilities and expand humanitarian access.”