Timely leadership

By playing a major role in nailing down a ceasefire-hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas, Egypt has once more proven its regional leadership.

Throughout negotiations for the deal, both in Cairo and in Doha, Egyptian negotiators worked tooth and nail to make these negotiations bear fruit.

The final form of the ceasefire/hostage release deal, which has started coming into effect as of January 19, was originally proposed by Egyptian, Qatari and American negotiators in Cairo weeks ago.

The good thing is that Egyptian regional leadership is transpiring at an important time, one when crucial changes are happening on the international stage.

A new administration is taking over in the US. This administration wants to bring an end to conflicts across the world and start a new chapter of international co-operation, leading to prosperity, like US President, Donald Trump, stipulated in his inauguration speech on Monday.

President Trump even considered the ceasefire/hostage release deal in Gaza as one of his incoming administration’s achievements, which was fulfilled a day before his inauguration.

The new US president perceives himself as a ‘peacemaker’ and a ‘stabiliser’, all of which go hand in hand with the role Egypt has been playing in the region for years.

This is why President Trump’s coming to the White House will open the door for a new phase of co-operation and joint action between Cairo and Washington in the next four year, as most estimates go.

During his first term in office, President Trump repeatedly praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s resolve in the fight against terrorism and the role he played in holding his country together in the face of the challenges it faced.

Personal chemistry between the two leaders adds to the role Egypt plays in the region and the world as a cornerstone of world peace and stability.

The new Gaza ceasefire/hostage release deal is new proof of the importance of this role and this new proof is nothing but timely.