Ashraf AboArafe
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly delivered Egypt’s address on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus” summit held in Tianjin, China. His speech carried a dual message: a defense of Palestinian rights and a stark reminder of Egypt’s existential water challenge.
Madbouly began by extending greetings to President Xi Jinping, expressing appreciation for China’s leadership and for convening the summit under the theme “Implementing Multilateralism, Ensuring Regional Security, and Promoting Sustainable Development.” He noted that the gathering comes at a critical juncture for the international order, one where multilateral credibility is under threat.
The Prime Minister painted a tragic picture of the Palestinian people, who, he stressed, are enduring relentless killing, terror, starvation, and blatant violations of their rights. “This war,” he declared, “is no longer about political objectives or the release of hostages—it has become a war of starvation, a war to erase the Palestinian cause.”
He condemned Israel’s expansion of military operations in Gaza, efforts to render the Strip uninhabitable, and settler violence in the West Bank, stressing that the only just and comprehensive solution remains the establishment of a Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Turning to global governance, Madbouly called for a fundamental reform of the international financial architecture, including development banks and debt sustainability, so that developing nations can cope with crises. He underscored the principle of shared but differentiated responsibility in tackling climate change and resource governance. Egypt, he reminded, is a densely populated desert nation almost entirely dependent on the Nile for its renewable water needs, making cooperation with fellow Nile Basin countries the cornerstone of its water policy, in line with international law and the principle of equitable use.
On technology, Madbouly urged greater collaboration to ensure artificial intelligence is deployed ethically and responsibly, with equitable access for developing nations.
In closing, the Prime Minister conveyed Egypt’s support for Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov as the new rotating chair of the SCO, and expressed Cairo’s commitment to follow up on the summit’s outcomes.
