Ashraf AboArafe
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, at Al-Ittihadeyya Palace. Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmad Fahmy said President El-Sisi and the Malaysian Prime Minister lauded the outstanding bilateral relations between the two countries. They confirmed that they look forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation across various areas, notably at the economic and trade levels as well as joint investments. This includes in particular the fields of industry and Information and Communication Technology as well as infrastructure and food security. The two sides agreed to give a strong momentum to different frameworks of joint cooperation in the coming period.
During their meeting, President El-Sisi and Malaysia’s Prime Minister exchanged views with regard to the most prominent regional and international issues of mutual concern, including combating terrorism. Prime Minister Ibrahim valued the efforts exerted in this regard by Egypt, which, he confirmed, is the beacon of the Islamic world, notably through the role of Al Azhar Al Sharif institution.
President El-Sisi and Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim also focused on the developments in the region, particularly the ongoing military escalation in the Gaza Strip. President El-Sisi reviewed the outcomes that emerged from the discussions at the Cairo Summit for Peace. Egypt and Malaysia agreed on the need to coordinate efforts to end the escalation and achieve calm, as well as provide the necessary protection for Palestinian civilians.
The two sides also stressed the need to continue to provide safe and urgent access to humanitarian assistance to the people of the Strip. The Malaysian Prime Minister lauded Egypt’s intensive efforts in this regard. The two leaders also expressed concern regarding the possible expansion of the violence to the region, while reiterating categorical rejection of the liquidation of the Palestinian issue through the idea of forced displacement of the people of Gaza. They confirmed that the only way out of the current crisis is for the international community to exert concerted efforts to find a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, based on the two-state solution and in accordance with the terms of reference of international legitimacy, in a manner that preserves the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
