Sisi meets with U.N. General Assembly head in Cairo

CAIRO – 1 April 2107: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met with the president of the United Nations General Assembly, Peter Thomson, on Saturday ahead of his scheduled visit to Washington.

During the meeting, Sisi said Egypt is keen on establishing international peace, security and stability, and that it will continue to participate in U.N. peacekeeping missions to help in the organization’s efforts to maintain international peace, according to a statement released by the president’s office.

Thomson praised Egypt's key role in the Middle East as a cornerstone for security and stability and its eagerness to reach political solutions to various crises in the region. He also lauded Egypt's effective participation in U.N. activities and its endeavors to defend the issues of African and developing countries, particularly in light of its current membership on the U.N. Security Council.

President Sisi stressed the importance of concerted efforts by the international community to reach political solutions to the region's crises to preserve the countries' unity, territorial integrity and resources.

The meeting reviewed the latest regional developments and it touched on ways to enhance international efforts to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sisi pointed to the need for the UN to mobilize potential to provide the necessary funding to realize sustainable development goals, particularly enabling African countries to implement their national agendas to achieve their sustainable development goals.

Sisi is scheduled to arrive Saturday in the United States for a five-day visit in which he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and other high-level American officials.

The visit marks Sisi’s first to the White House, although he has been in New York City twice since taking office three years ago to attend meetings at the United Nations.