CAIRO – 23 September 2019: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has arrived in New York on Saturday morning, where he is set to give a speech during the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, as the chairman of the African Union this year.
Sisi has held, since then, high-level meetings, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 47), with a number of presidents and leaders, including a tripartite meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II and Iraqi President Barham Salih, where they discussed the Palestinian cause.
Sisi will also meet with CEOs of some international companies that are investing in Egypt or are willing to carry out investments in the African country.
Egypt, during the UNGA meeting, will also participate in the Climate and the Universal Health Coverage summits.
Tripartite summit
Sisi, King of Jordan Abdullah and the Iraqi President Barham Salih had a tripartite summit on Sunday, September 22, on the sidelines of the UNGA meetings in New York, reported state's MENA.
The three leaders mulled the tripartite cooperation that was launched on March 24, by evaluating the regional meetings during the past six months. The three leaders discussed means to boost strategic, economic and political cooperation between their nations.
They prioritized the cooperation in investment, trade, housing and infrastructure projects.
The meeting has also discussed the latest challenges in the region and means to face them.
The three leaders asserted their full support for the Palestinian cause as a central cause in the Arab world, adding the Palestinian people must have all their legitimate rights that include an independent state and its capital is Jerusalem city in the light of the Arabian initiative and the international agreements.
The leaders said that a resolution is the only way to realize the peace that might be curbed by actions such as building new Israeli settlements as per a unilateral decision.
The meeting urged all the regional powers to take advantage of the latest defeat suffered by the terrorist groups in the region by facing the states and entities that fund and support terrorists in the region.
The leaders expressed their full support for the Iraqi efforts to rebuild the state and help the displaced citizens from the lands that were once captured by the defeated terrorist group of ISIS.
The leaders called for a political solution for the current regional crises in Syria, Libya, and Yemen as per the Security Council’s decisions to preserve the unity of the Arab lands and the regional National Security.
The leaders were keen to condemn the latest drone attack on oil facilities owned by the Saudi giant energy firm Aramco, asserting the importance of the Arab Gulf security as an essential component of the region’s security.
American Chamber of Commerce
Sisi said Sunday that the successful implementation of Egypt’s economic reform program and its unprecedented positive results were due to “great Egyptians’ strong determination and will, not only as a result of the political will or the efficiency of the program itself.”
Sisi’s remarks came during his participation in a banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in his honor in New York, with the presence of the First Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of the American-Egyptian Business Council, and a large number of leaders from major American companies.
He further stressed Egypt will continue in its comprehensive reform path, aiming to achieve sustainable development, and improve Egyptians’ living standards, adding that reform program implemented in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been prepared in accordance with Egyptian national requirements.
In an open discussion with U.S. companies’ leaders, Sisi praised strategic relations between Egypt and United States, and both countries concern to enhance those relations.
He also showed his keenness to communicate directly with the U.S. business community “to promote frank and direct dialogue on the opportunities and challenges in the joint work between both sides, as well as to identify the problems and obstacles facing investors and work to resolve them,” said Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady.
President Sisi expressed appreciation for the role played by the American Chamber of Commerce and the American-Egyptian Business Council in supporting economic and trade relations between both Egypt and America.
In this context, President Sisi expressed Egypt’s aspiration to increase the contribution of American companies in the development process in the country, and to participate in the undergoing Egyptian mega projects to benefit from the great opportunities offered by the Egyptian economy.
Spokesman Rady added that “U.S. companies’ leaders lauded the development boom that took place Egypt, appreciating the role played with President Sisi to promote stability in the country, which is a focal point for the stability of the entire Middle East region.”
Heads of American companies, who participated in the banquet, also hailed the measures taken to improve and encourage the investment environment in the country, affirming their keenness to continue working to enhance American investments in Egypt in various fields.
Palestinians' rights support
Sisi met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Rady said on Monday.
Sisi has affirmed Egypt's keenness on the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of their independent state, in accordance with the international accords.
For his part, Abbas has expressed his appreciation for Egypt's efforts and historic unchangeable stance towards the Palestinian cause, highlighting the depth of relations between the peoples of the two countries.
Abbas also praised the Egyptian efforts to achieve reconciliation between Palestinian factions, affirming willingness to continue coordination and with Egypt on various issues of mutual concern, Rady said.
The presidents also discussed the developments of a number of regional and Arab issues.
Sierra Leone
President Sisi met with President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio.
Hailing robust relations between both countries, Sisi emphasized Egypt's willingness to bolster cooperation ties at all levels, Rady said in a statement following the meeting.
Sisi also welcomed the participation of more Sierra Leone cadres in the capacity-building programs supervised by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) in various domains.
For his side, Bio said that he is looking forward to furthering cooperation at all levels, especially at the economic, military and security levels.
He applauded Egypt's social development and economic growth efforts in Africa.
The meeting also took up the latest progress on the UN Security Council reform and expansion process, the spokesman added.
Moreover, the two leaders reviewed the latest developments on a raft of Africa-related issues in light of Egypt's current chairmanship of the African Union (AU), Rady noted.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Egypt attached a great importance for the situation in Africa and the continent's development agenda, in an interview with Egypt's Extra News.
Shoukry said that President Sisi will highlight the file of African integrity during the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, as part of the efforts to achieve development in the continent.
The meetings of the UN provides an important opportunity for leaders to discuss and exchange views, Shoukry said, pointing out that Sisi always speaks about the Egyptian vision towards the challenges, in such occasions.
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