Sisi stresses the need to develop airports and enhance their competitiveness... regionally and internationally
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stressed the “necessity of continuous efforts to develop the civil aviation system by updating airport infrastructure, enhancing service efficiency, and reinforcing the highest safety and security standards, thereby contributing to increasing the competitiveness of Egyptian airports regionally and internationally, while strengthening private sector participation in their management and operation.”
El-Sisi continued, during a meeting held on Monday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Civil Aviation Minister Samah Al-Hafni, and Presidential Advisor for Financial Affairs Major General Ahmed Al-Shazly, that “developing the civil aviation system and the ongoing work to update airport infrastructure, increase their capacity, and improve the level of services provided to passengers, as well as the executive status of the project to construct Terminal 4 at Cairo International Airport, with an annual capacity of 40 million passengers, will help transform Egypt into a major regional hub for aviation, transport, and logistics services.”
He also directed the strengthening of strategic partnerships to attract more foreign direct investment in the civil aviation sector through the creation of integrated investment zones around Egyptian airports.
He emphasized the necessity of monitoring any complaints regarding service quality at various airports and addressing them seriously and promptly, thereby contributing to improving the travel experience and enhancing passenger confidence.
Amid widespread interest, Cairo will host Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday evening, marking the beginning of an official visit to Egypt at the invitation of el-Sisi, during which the two leaders will discuss regional and international files of mutual interest.
The visit is expected to see the signing of several “major and important” agreements that underscore the depth and specificity of the strategic relations between the two countries.
[The organization] expressed deep concern over the continuation of attacks and what they represent as a direct threat to the security and safety of sister states and their peoples, as well as the serious risks they carry due to the widening scope of confrontation and the undermining of opportunities to restore stability in the region.
It warned of the “serious repercussions of continued escalation on regional security and stability,” stressing the “necessity of halting attacks, de-escalating tensions, and returning to the negotiating table to allow diplomatic channels to reach solutions that contribute to restoring security and stability and sparing the region from the risks of a wider confrontation.”
In a separate development, Turkish Ambassador to Egypt Saleh Mutlu Şen stated that the mutual visits between el-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “have provided a strong political framework for the next phase of relations and affirmed the common positions of both countries regarding the need to achieve a just and lasting peace in Palestine, deliver humanitarian aid, and rebuild the Gaza Strip, as well as supporting the unity, stability, and sovereignty of Libya and Sudan, preserving the territorial integrity of Somalia, enhancing security in the Red Sea, and supporting diplomatic solutions to regional crises and de-escalation.”
He affirmed that his country “hopes that Egypt will be the first country to join the defensive alliance uniting Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan (the Mecca Alliance), as it represents a natural partner for the founding states of the alliance. The alliance aims at deterrence and defense, does not target any specific country or region, and is open to all regional states wishing to join.”
He added, “Our great hope is that Egypt will be the first country to join this alliance, as it possesses the largest and strongest army in the region, along with its military discipline, traditions, institutions, and military capabilities.”
