Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi rejected any infringement on Egypt’s share of Nile waters, attempts to displace Palestinians or moves to circumvent implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
– Sisi spoke Monday while chairing a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces at the Strategic Command headquarters in the New Administrative Capital east of Cairo, according to a presidential statement.
– The meeting formed part of celebrations marking the 53rd anniversary of Egypt’s October 1973 war against Israel.
– “The Nile is the very lifeline of Egypt and the cornerstone of its existence across millennia,” he said.
– “Egypt’s water share is an established historical and non-negotiable legal right that admits of no compromise or infringement.”
– He said Egypt remains committed to cooperation and joint development with fellow Nile Basin countries but would not allow any measures that undermine its water security.
– Egypt “shall continue to defend its rights by all means sanctioned under international law,” he added.
– Egypt and Sudan, the two downstream Nile countries, are locked in a dispute with upstream Ethiopia over its dam and the absence of a binding agreement governing its filling and operation. Cairo fears the project could affect its annual water allocation of 55.5 billion cubic meters.
– Turning to Palestine, Sisi reiterated Egypt’s “categorical rejection of any attempts aimed at displacing the Palestinian people from their land.”
– He also called for full implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, warning against circumventing or disregarding it.
– Sisi stressed the importance of establishing an independent Palestinian state in accordance with international resolutions, describing it as the only guarantee of a just and lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
– He cited Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel as evidence that prolonged conflict can give way to coexistence.
– Egypt and Israel fought wars over decades before the courage and foresight of their political leadership, supported by US mediation, opened the door to peace and ended hostilities, he said.
– “Peace is by no means an unattainable aspiration but a viable choice capable of resolving conflicts and fostering peaceful coexistence among peoples,” Sisi added.
– Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in Washington, DC on March 26, 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords.
– Addressing regional developments, Sisi said the Middle East faces crises and turmoil, while rapid global changes and unprecedented challenges have destabilized countries and displaced millions.
– He warned that challenges to Egypt’s stability persist but said the country’s institutions and the cohesion of its people enable it to protect its national security.
– He reaffirmed Egypt’s support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Arab countries and the protection of their national institutions.
– “The security of the Arab Gulf States is an integral and inseparable part of Egypt’s national security,” he said, renewing Egypt’s condemnation of attacks targeting Arab countries.
– He also stressed the need to preserve freedom of navigation through international maritime routes.
– Egypt’s armed forces remain ready to defend the country, its resources and national security “at all times and under all circumstances,” Sisi said.