Sisi Reaffirms to CIA Director Egypt's Support for Arab Security and Sovereignty and Rejection of Any Aggression

Cairo – Khadija Hamouda:

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reiterated his country’s firm stance supporting the security and sovereignty of Arab states and rejecting any aggression against them.

The official spokesperson for the Egyptian presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, stated in a press release that this position was conveyed during a meeting between President el-Sisi and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe, in which they reviewed developments in the Middle East.

El-Sisi emphasized Egypt’s full support for efforts aimed at “reaching a comprehensive agreement that ends the Iranian crisis, thereby contributing to restoring security and stability in the region and ensuring freedom of international navigation.”

The statement also noted that el-Sisi stressed the importance of resolving regional crises through political and diplomatic channels and addressing their root causes comprehensively, in order to preserve national institutions, safeguard territorial integrity, and maintain the unity of states.

The official spokesperson clarified that the CIA Director affirmed the U.S. administration’s commitment to continuing work and close coordination with Egypt to enhance security and stability in the Middle East, highlighting the existing level of cooperation between the CIA and Egypt’s General Intelligence Service in the fields of security, intelligence, counterterrorism, organized crime, and transnational crimes.

Regarding developments in the Palestinian issue, el-Sisi, according to the statement, stressed the importance of fully implementing the second phase of the U.S. president’s plan aimed at consolidating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, commending the efforts made by mediators to reach a roadmap ensuring the implementation of this phase.

El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s firm positions, foremost among which is the necessity of consolidating the ceasefire, protecting civilians, and ensuring adequate and sustainable access for humanitarian aid to the Strip, as well as creating suitable conditions to resume the political process leading to a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution principle.

The meeting also addressed the Sudanese crisis, where el-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s steadfast position supporting Sudan’s unity, stability, and preservation of its legitimate national institutions, noting that Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity represent “constants that cannot be compromised.”

The discussions also covered developments in the Horn of Africa region, where President el-Sisi, according to the statement, reaffirmed Egypt’s full support for efforts to achieve security and stability in Somalia and its firm rejection of any infringement on Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, or territorial integrity.

For his part, the CIA Director expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s active role in supporting security and stability in Africa, emphasizing the importance of continued coordination and consultation between the relevant authorities in both countries, particularly regarding the Sudanese crisis, the situation in Somalia, the Horn of Africa region, and international maritime security.