CAIRO – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said despite the ongoing escalation of regional conflicts, the resilience of the Egyptian state, the vision of its political leadership, the effectiveness of its institutions, as well as the unity and awareness of the Egyptian people, are all factors that have contributed not only to achieving national security and stability but also to advancing development and economic construction, while continuing to play a vital and influential role in efforts for stability and peace at both regional and international levels.
The minister made the remarks while delivering a speech during the annual ceremony of the Kemet Boutros Ghali Foundation for Peace and Knowledge, which witnessed the distribution of the foundation’s annual awards to students of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, and the honoring of an African and an Egyptian personality, in the presence of Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit, several former ministers, public figures, diplomats, and members of parliament.
He added that the regional and international arenas are going through an exceptional phase that may contain some contradictions, referring to the challenges and opportunities posed by the technological revolution and the artificial intelligence as well as the risks related to cyber security, social gaps, climate change and other issues.
He said the government and state institutions bear a major responsibility to achieve development according to Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations by dealing with both opportunities and challenges. However, success cannot be achieved without the involvement of civil society and the private sector.
Abdelatty praised Mamdouh Abbas, the foundation’s chairman, for dedicating a significant part of his time and effort to focus on and care for youth to help them understand their reality and prepare for what is coming.
The minister said today’s gathering is meant to commemorate and honor the legacy of one of the giants of Egyptian and international diplomacy, Dr. Boutros Ghali.
He continued that “Boutros Ghali’s academic background and extensive knowledge of law and international relations contributed to the prominent role he played during a very delicate phase in negotiating the terms of peace after the glorious October 1973 victory, a peace based on dignity, equality, hard work, and belief in the cause of Egyptian independence and sovereignty of decision.”
He added that Boutros Ghali had set the basis for developing strong Egyptian-African relations.
He pointed out that Boutros Ghali’s experiences qualified him to ascend to the top of the United Nations system at the “East” River in New York as Secretary-General of the UN before becoming the first Egyptian to lead the Francophonie as Secretary-General of its organization from the French capital, Paris.
He highlighted the distinguished potentials of the Egyptians, referring to the momentum accompanying the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which underscored Egypt’s status and what it possesses of soft power and culture capable of contributing constructively to human civilization.
He stressed that the global attendance of this event and the appreciation shown by world leaders to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s leadership of the country towards new horizons reflected international recognition of Egypt’s value as a deeply rooted country in history and influential for thousands of years at the regional and international level.
Meanwhile, he cited Boutros Ghali’s statement: “There will be no real peace in the Middle East until the Palestinians obtain their right to self-determination.”
He pointed out that Israel, unfortunately, does not understand this logic and does not want to realize the inevitability of establishing the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel launched a brutal military aggression lasting two years against the defenseless people of Palestine in Gaza aiming to displace Palestinians, resulting in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
“Through coordinated efforts with friendly countries, chiefly the United States, we seek to end this crisis and move in a subsequent phase to a comprehensive political solution, which we have aimed to establish since the Sharm El-Sheikh summit that halted the killing machine, a summit whose one-month anniversary passes today,” he added.
The minister thanked the Kemet Foundation for its valued efforts in reviving the legacy of one of the leading figures of diplomacy, thought, and politics in Egypt, the Arab world, and Africa, Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, saying: “There is nothing more beautiful than commemorating the memory of our teachers and their achievements for the nation’s benefit, through serious work and preparing future generations.”
