President El-Sisi’s Speech at Joint Press Conference with Spain’s Prime Minister Sánchez

alhadath – cairo

“In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”

Your Excellency Pedro Sánchez,

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Spain

Ladies and gentlemen, dignified attendees

Allow me at the outset to express profound appreciation and gratitude for the warm reception I have received since my arrival in the Kingdom of Spain.

This is my second visit to Madrid, which demonstrates a sincere commitment to fostering the historical and solid relations between our countries, as well as our fruitful cooperation which is founded on mutual respect and understanding.

Grounded in our close bilateral relations and steadfast dedication to further advancing them, we signed today a document elevating Egyptian-Spanish relations to the level of strategic partnership. We are determined to dynamically pursue the implementation of this landmark agreement, alongside all other agreements and memoranda of understanding currently in force between our countries. Our shared objective is to forge deeper economic and investment collaboration and to substantially increase the volume of bilateral trade, key issues that were the subject of extensive discussions today.

We highlighted the importance of attracting further Spanish investment and building upon the established successes of Spanish businesses operating in Egypt. We also confirmed our commitment to strengthening cooperation in the localization of the industry in Egypt in all domains. Those include the sectors of renewable and clean energy, transport, communications and information technology, along with the exchange of expertise and information on the management and development of water resources, given the significance of the water security issue to Egypt.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Regional crises were prominent topics in discussions with His Excellency the Prime Minister today. We reviewed developments in the war in the Gaza Strip and prospects for the Palestinian issue. In this regard, we affirmed the imperative of the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the sustained exchange of hostages and detainees and the unfettered delivery of urgently-needed humanitarian aid and relief to alleviate the devastating humanitarian crisis endured by the people of Gaza.

Allow me from this platform, once again, to commend Spain’s courageous and historic decision to uphold right and justice, by recognizing the Palestinian State and the Palestinian people’s legitimate and inalienable rights, primarily their right to self-determination.

We concurred on the urgent need to strive to reinvigorate the peace process with the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian State, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy.

We also emphasized the importance of the international community’s support and adoption of the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, that does not involve the forcible displacement of the Palestinian people, again, without the displacement of the Palestinian people, from their land they so dearly cherish, and their ancestral homeland they will never abandon, and that ensures the immediate initiation of relief and early recovery operations.

We underscored the necessity of supporting international humanitarian organizations operating in the sector, foremost among them “The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East” (UNRWA), stressing the indispensable nature of its work in providing basic humanitarian services to the Palestinian people.

Dignified attendees

In our meeting today, I discussed with His Excellency Prime Minister Sánchez developments in Syria. I emphasized Egypt’s unwavering solidarity with the Syrian people in their pursuit of their legitimate aspirations. We stressed the importance of safeguarding the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria and underlined the urgency to initiate a comprehensive political process, encompassing all segments of the Syrian people. We reiterated our categorical rejection of Israel’s violations of Syrian sovereignty and reaffirmed the crucial necessity of ending the continued illegal Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights.

On Lebanon, we discussed the situation there and welcomed the election of a new President of the Republic and a new Prime Minister. We maintained the importance of upholding the cessation of hostilities agreement and Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territories.

We further agreed to strengthen cooperation on maritime security to address attacks on commercial shipping in Bab El-Mandab, and exchanged views on developments in the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions.

Finally, I extend heartfelt gratitude, once again, to Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez for his invitation to visit the Kingdom of Spain. I look forward to welcoming him, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen to Egypt and to participate in the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum. This visit will definitely contribute to cultivating closer cooperation and solidifying the longstanding and historical friendship the two countries and their peoples share.

Thank you