BELGRADE – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi underlined the historic ties between Egypt and Serbia, especially as the two leaders were among the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
He said the historical ties between the two countries are encouraging for capitalising in on their capabilities to attain their joint goals and confront all regional and international challenges.
During an honouring ceremony in Serbia on Thursday, Sisi expressed gratitude for granting him an honourary doctorate by the Belgrade University.
Sisi said the Belgrade University is one of the largest and oldest universities in Serbia which was established more than 200 years ago.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said Egypt is always asserting that the international community faces new challenges in addition to its traditional ones, topped by climate change phenomenon which, he added, poses genuine and serious threat to the world and requires the co-operation of countries to take into consideration their concerns.
Sisi said “We all must realise that climate change and global overpopulation exaggerate the crisis that is now posing serious threats to many areas in the world.”
He noted Egypt is keen on rallying international efforts aimed at combatting climate change, as Egypt will play host to COP27, slated for November in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh.
Egypt hopes the climate gathering will contribute to placing the world on the right track toward the implementation of pledges and promises on the ground, according to him.
The Egyptian leader went on to say that issues of water, desertification and drought are most important regional and international contemporary files facing the world community at large.
Such files affect capabilities and future of peoples as they hinder efforts to achieve aspirations towards the fulfillment of sustainable development and welfare, he said, adding it is important to address the phenomenon seriously to innovate more advanced techniques to capitalise on possible water resources and combat climate change.
President Sisi warned climate change has direct bad impacts not only on economic situation, but also on security and stability at the national and regional levels.
President Sisi said Egypt resorted to negotiation option in handling water issue, in reference to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), based on a raft of regulating constants which take into account the desire to develop bilateral ties binding Egypt and Ethiopia, in addition to promoting consultations to overcome challenges facing the African continent in order to find a joint vision among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to settle repercussions of the dam.
He said Egypt is very interested in promoting development efforts in the Nile Basin region, which, he added necessitates a just and balanced deal on the filling up and operating of the dam, in addition to the complete rejection of unilateral measures that would harm Egypt’s water rights.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the international community is facing many challenges.
He stressed Egypt’s support for all efforts aiming at maintaining international peace and security, especially in view of the major stability and security challenges in the Middle East.
Egypt has long called for adopting a comprehensive mechanism for combating all kinds of terrorism and mobilising international co-operation in this respect.
Within the framework of promoting regional stability, Sisi called for bolstering efforts for rendering the Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction.
“As we face regional issues, we also seek to address international issues. The world has been facing the repercussions of the current Ukrainian crisis since the beginning of the year,” he said, stressing Egypt’s stand in this regard on the importance of reaching a diplomatic solution for the dispute and exerting all needed efforts to avert people’s suffering from the crisis fallout.
Concluding the speech, Sisi thanked the Belgrade University for granting him an honourary doctorate, voicing hope of further co-operation and coordination between Egypt and Serbia.
