Saudi media outlets focus on Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia

CAIRO – 25 April 2017: Many Saudi Arabian media outlets highlighted Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia Sunday, describing it as a consolidation of Egyptian-Saudi ties, quelling recent speculation of tensions between the two nations.

Saudi newspaper Alwatan published an article Sunday on the visit under the headline, ''Saudi-Egyptian Strategic Determinism Summit in Riyadh.”

Alwatan's article tackled the importance of pushing the process to activate the Cairo Declaration which was agreed upon between President Sisi and Saudi Defense Minister Muhammad Bin Salman during Salman’s visit to Egypt on July 30, 2015. The declaration entails military cooperation, joint cooperation in the fields of energy, electricity and transportation, capitalizing on mutual investments and strengthening cooperation in the fields of politics, culture and media. The declaration also defined maritime borders.

Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat saw Saudi-Egyptian relations as a "balance for the Arab region" which pursues stabilization in the whole Middle East after six years of tension. Asharq al-Awsat claimed that the visit reflected the distinguished relations between the two nations, underlining the state of friendship.

Al-Madina newspaper depicted the Saudi-Egyptian summit as combating terrorism and Iran’s interference in Arab countries’ affairs. Al-Madina also said the summit aimed to create a road map for the Arab area after uprooting the terrorist Islamic State (IS) group.

According to the Saudi newspaper Okaz, the meeting between President Sisi and King Salman reflects the importance of strategic relations between the two countries, dispelling any suspicions targeted to disturb their strong partnership.

In the same context, Okaz cited late King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi state, for his quote: "Saudi Arabia is indispensable to Egypt and Egypt is indispensable to Saudi Arabia."

Okaz also described the visit as “more powerful than any hearsay,” pointing out that IS systematically targets the relationship between the two countries, aiming at destabilizing it.

Another Saudi newspaper, Al-Hayah, said Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia came at the invitation of King Salman, reflecting the development of relations between the two states after tensions due to different viewpoints toward the Syrian and Yemeni crises.

Saudi newspaper Alweeam stated that the visit came as a part of Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s keenness to continuing cooperation in various fields, as well as discuss means of dealing with challenges facing the Arab nation.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of enforcing cooperation and solidarity between Arab countries in order to stand united in the face of challenges and crises which face the Arab nation, a move that would restore security and stability in these countries. Moreover, they both saw eye-to-eye on the necessity of confronting any insidious foreign attempts to interfere in internal affairs of the Arab region.