GCC ministers praise Cairo’s role in regional stability
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati held a phone conversation on Thursday night with Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East. The discussion centered on the strategic partnership between Cairo and Washington, emphasising their mutual interests in various fields and their joint efforts to foster peace and security in the Middle East.
During the call, Minister Abdel-Aati presented the Arab plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, detailing its components and phases. He underscored the full Arab consensus on this initiative, which was highlighted during an extraordinary Arab summit held in Cairo on March 4.
Abdel-Aati expressed Egypt’s eagerness to maintain constructive dialogue with President Donald Trump and his administration, stressing the importance of collaborative efforts to implement all stages of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, advocating for Israel’s cooperation in allowing humanitarian aid into the region as a pathway to ending hostilities and initiating reconstruction.
FM attends GCC ministerial meeting
In a related event, Minister Abdel-Aati participated in a joint ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in Mecca on Thursday. The meeting focused on following up on outcomes from last week’s extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo. GCC ministers commended President Abdel Fattah El Sisi for successfully hosting the summit, which achieved vital Arab consensus, particularly regarding reconstruction efforts in Gaza and establishing a Gaza management committee under the Palestinian government.
The ministers also lauded President El Sisi’s leadership role in promoting security and stability across the Middle East while defending Palestinian rights and broader Arab interests.
Looking ahead, participants agreed to convene the inaugural Egyptian-Gulf Forum later this year in Cairo, aiming for high-level participation from both government officials and private sector representatives. This forum is expected to explore promising investment opportunities within Egypt’s favorable climate across various sectors, including renewable energy, industry, logistics, transportation, construction, and development.
Minister Abdel-Aati emphasized during his speech at the GCC meeting that Egyptian-Gulf relations are robust and called for building upon outcomes from their previous joint meeting held in March 2024 in Riyadh. The Joint Action Plan between Egypt and GCC for 2024-2028 was also approved at this second ministerial gathering as a roadmap for future cooperation across areas of mutual interest.
