Sisi, King Felipe VI discuss regional, int’l developments
President lauds Madrid’s recognition of Palestinian state
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and First Lady Entissar El Sisi received His Majesty King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain at Al-Ittihadiya Palace on Wednesday.
Following the official reception, President Sisi and the King Felipe VI held bilateral meeting, followed by extended talks between delegations of both sides, said Presidency Spokesman Mohamed el-Shennawy.
President Sisi warmly welcomed the Spanish monarch on his first state visit to Egypt, which is also the first high-level Spanish official since signing of the declaration elevating bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during President Sisi’s visit to Spain in February 2025.
King Felipe VI expressed deep honour at visiting Egypt, lauding the country’s longstanding regional and international stature, as well as its great civilisation and heritage, the spokesman said.
The talks between President Sisi and King Felipe VI touched on ways to consolidate the distinguished bilateral relations, particularly in economic, investment, tourism, cultural and educational fields.
They reiterated the necessity of building on current momentum of ties to expand co-operation in a way that serves the interests and aspirations of the two friendly peoples, Spokesman Shennawy added.
Discussions during the meeting also covered mechanisms to boost trade exchange, transport links, and new opportunities for collaboration in the field of antiquities.
Meanwhile, regional and international developments featured high on the agenda of the talks between President Sisi and King Felipe VI, as the Egyptian leader appreciated Spain’s supportive positions for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in particular Madrid’s recognition of the State of Palestine and its vote in favour of the “New York Declaration on the Two-State Solution” at the UN General Assembly.
This, President Sisi stressed, reflects Madrid’s commitment to the two-state principle, as well as upholding the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
President Sisi reviewed Egypt’s intensive efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, and offered his assessment of the situation in the region, especially after the latest Israeli escalation.
For his part, King Felipe VI commended Egypt’s role in this regard over the past two years, including its Gaza reconstruction plan, which received broad Arab and Islamic support, the presidency spokesman said.
Both sides stressed the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and prisoners, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid, and the prevention of further escalation. They categorically rejected any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people, warning that such actions would amount to liquidating the Palestinian cause, threatening neighbouring states’ security, and unleashing unprecedented waves of displacement and irregular migration towards Europe.
By the same token, they firmly rejected illegal Israeli practices in the West Bank, including settlement expansion and annexation threats, as blatant violations of international law.
The meeting further included an exchange of views on global crises such as the war in Ukraine, as the two sides agreed on the importance of political and peaceful solutions that are likely to safeguard states’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, and people’s resources.
Following the talks, medals were exchanged between President Sisi and King Felipe VI, as well as between the First Lady and Queen Letizia, in recognition of the strategic and longstanding friendship between the two nations.
President Sisi and the first lady then hosted a luncheon in honour of the King and the Queen, attended by the two delegations.
During the banquet, President Sisi delivered a welcome address, in which he voiced heartfelt welcome to their Majesties in Egypt – the heart of the ancient world and the bridge of civilisations, referring to the close ties between the two nations.
“Together, our nations have set a leading model of how to build positive and evolving relations that serve the interests of their peoples and fulfill their shared goals, whether bilaterally, regionally, or multilaterally,” Sisi said.
He also commended the progress in bilateral co-operation, particularly in transport sector, hoping to extend this success across all areas of bilateral partnership.
President Sisi highlighted the outstanding cultural co-operation between Cairo and Madrid, especially in archaeology and heritage preservation. Egypt currently hosts nearly 13 Spanish archaeological missions active in Saqqara, Luxor, Aswan, and Wadi El-Gemal.
In addition, he referred to the tremendous challenges Egypt is facing through its strategic directions – east, west, and south – ‘as well as the shared challenges we face in the Mediterranean.’
