Saudi Arabia, Egypt laud efforts in combating terrorism; praise level of security cooperation
A final joint statement was issued following the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, to Egypt.
Following is the text of the statement:
Based on the deep-rooted historical relations and close brotherly bonds and joint fate between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt and their leaderships and peoples; and in response to an invitation by President of Egypt, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, paid an official visit to Egypt on June 21 and 22, 2022, where President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and a host of senior government officials received the Crown Prince at Cairo International Airport before accompanying the Crown Prince to Al-Ittihadiya Palace where an official reception ceremony was held.
In an atmosphere of amicability and brotherhood that embodies the depth of close and historical relations between the two countries, an official discussion session was held between President El-Sisi and the Crown Prince. The president welcomed the Crown Prince, expressing happiness for the visit that would frame distinguished bilateral relations and move them to wider scopes in all fields.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the deep-rooted historical relations between the two brotherly countries and commended the level of cooperation and coordination in all fields, where they discussed means to develop relations in all domains in a way that enhances and realizes the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples, reviewing the latest developments in the region and the world and stressing the mutual position and joint fate towards various regional and international issues of mutual interest.
At the economic and commercial level, both sides agreed to enhance economic partnership at the investment and commercial levels between the two countries and moving them to wider scopes to reflect the depth of historical and strategic relations between them through realizing integration between available opportunities through the Saudi Vision 2030 and Egypt Vision 2030.
The two sides also expressed willingness to increase the pace of investment cooperation and commercial exchange, encourage partnerships between the two countries’ private sectors, and joining efforts to create a fertile and stimulus investment environment that supports several targeted sectors, such as tourism, energy, healthcare, transport, logistics, ICT, real estate development and agriculture.
Both sides also welcomed the announcement of huge investment and commercial agreements between the two private sectors worth $8 billion (around SR30 billion and 145 billion Egyptian Pounds) during the visit of the Crown Prince, with Saudi Arabia expressing its intention to lead investments in Egypt worth $30 billion.
The two sides also announced cooperation in the field of generating renewable energy through implementing a project for electric power with a capacity of 10 gigawatts through ACWA Power Company.
They also praised the volume of intra-trade between the two countries, which reflects the depth and sustainability of economic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which agreed to continue coordination and cooperation in the field of preserving the marine environment, enhance commercial exchange between the two countries, mainly in the field of agricultural products, according to agreed-upon terms.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also commended the economic reforms of the Egyptian government, with both sides stressing keenness to enhance economic cooperation that seeks to realize economic stability and welfare for the two brotherly peoples and enhances their abilities to overcome challenges imposed by recent international crises.
The two sides also expressed intention to complete negotiations on an agreement to protect and encourage investments and ratify it by the two sides as soon as possible.
In the environment and climate change field, and out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s role in facing climate change challenges and preserving the environment and supporting Egypt in hosting the COP27, both sides agreed to hold the Middle East Green Initiative Summit and Saudi Green Initiative Forum during the period of holding COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.
As for the health and educational fields, the two sides expressed aspiration to enhance cooperation in the medical field and stressed keenness to support global initiatives aimed at combating pandemics and current and future health threats and challenges.
They also welcomed increasing the level of scientific and educational cooperation, calling for increasing cooperation in the higher education, research and innovation fields, and encouraging universities and scientific institutions and research centers to enhance research cooperation in fields of joint interest.
As for tourism and culture, they highlighted the importance of cooperation in the tourism sector and developing tourist activities in the two countries and exploring what each country has of tourist elements, in addition to enhancing joint action regarding sustainable tourism that benefits the tourism sector and its development, boosting cultural cooperation, participating in cultural events and exhibitions, unifying visions and trends at international organizations concerned with the cultural fields.
In the political arena, the Saudi and Egyptian sides stressed intention to enhance cooperation on all political issues and reach joint positions that can preserve the security and stability of the two countries, reiterating the importance of continuing consultations and coordination regarding the latest development in all bilateral and multilateral events in a way that contributes to realizing security, stability and prosperity in the two brotherly countries and the entire region.
The two sides reviewed regional and international issues of common interest, topped by the Palestinian cause, where the two sides stressed the need to intensify efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to find a real horizon for returning to serious and effective negotiations to achieve peace, in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, and relevant international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, in a way that guarantees the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 parallel, with East Al-Quds as its capital.
In the Yemeni issue, the two sides renewed their full support for the international and regional efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen, based on the GCC initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue, and Security Council Resolution No. 2216. The Egyptian side praised the Kingdom's efforts and its many initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue and reconciliation between the Yemeni parties and ending the war in Yemen, and its role in providing and facilitating humanitarian access to all regions of Yemen.
The two sides affirmed their support for the Presidential Leadership Council and its supporting entities to enable it to exercise its duties in implementing effective policies and initiatives that would achieve security and stability in Yemen. They also affirmed their support for the UN armistice agreement in Yemen and welcomed the announcement of its extension.
The Saudi side appreciated Egypt's response to the request of the legitimate Yemeni government and the United Nations to operate direct flights between Cairo and Sana'a in support of that armistice and to alleviate the human suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people caused by the terrorist Houthi militia, with both sides stressing condemnation of the terrorist Houthi militia’s attacks on civilian objects and vital facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its threat to the security and safety of international sea corridors, and its intransigence in the face of efforts for a political solution to end the crisis in Yemen.
On the Iraqi affairs, the two sides expressed aspiration for the Iraqi parties to reach a formula to form a comprehensive government that works to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Iraqi people in security, stability, development and confronting terrorist organizations, and pushes Iraq's relations with its Arab brothers to broader horizons in light of unity, common destiny and goals that binds the peoples of the Arab world.
On the Sudanese arena, the two sides affirmed their continued support for the success of the transitional phase, as well as the importance of dialogue between all Sudanese parties, in a way that contributes to preserving political and economic gains, and achieves unity among all components of the brotherly Sudanese people.
On Lebanon, the two sides affirmed their keenness on the security, stability and unity of the Lebanese territories, and the importance of continuing efforts aimed at preserving the Arab identity, security and stability of Lebanon, supporting the role of the Lebanese state institutions, and carrying out the necessary reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its crisis, and is no longer serving as a starting point for any terrorist acts and an incubator for organizations and terrorist groups that destabilize the security and stability of the region, and not be a source or transit point for drug smuggling.
On the Syrian arena, the two sides stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the Syrian crisis in a way that achieves the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people and preserves Syria's unity and territorial integrity. They also stressed the need to stop regional interference in the Syrian issue that threatens the security, stability, unity and cohesion of Syria's social fabric, and expressed support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria.
On the Libyan arena, the two sides stressed the need to preserve the unity and integrity of the Libyan territories, and the importance of the Libyan brothers reaching an Inter-Libyan solution without any external interference, leading to holding the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously. The Saudi side valued Egypt's efforts to restore Libya's security, unity and sovereignty, and generously hosted the work of the Libyan constitutional track, in coordination with the United Nations, which allowed the Libyan brothers free space to chart the future of their country.
The two sides stressed the importance of supporting the role of Libyan institutions and assuming their responsibilities. In this context, they praised the sincere national efforts and the legitimate procedures and decisions issued by the Libyan House of Representatives, in its capacity as the country's elected legislative body, expressing the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people.
The two sides also stressed the importance of immediately starting to implement the exit of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya without exception or procrastination and within a specific timeframe, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions Nos. 2570 and 2571, the outcomes of the Paris Summit, the Berlin Process, the Arab League, the African Union and the Libya Neighboring Countries Mechanism, and expressed support for the efforts of the related 5 + 5 Joint Military Committee, as well as the preservation of the ceasefire agreement in order to preserve the security, stability and capabilities of Libya.
The two sides agreed on the necessity of supporting international efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, ensuring the peacefulness of Iran's nuclear program, strengthening the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency, maintaining the non-proliferation regime, and the importance of supporting efforts to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, in a manner that contributes to achieving regional and international peace and stability.
They agreed also on supporting Arab efforts to urge Iran to abide by the international principles of non-interference in the Arab countries affairs, to preserve the principles of good-neighborliness, and to spare the region all destabilizing activities, including supporting armed militias and threatening maritime navigation and international trade corridors.
Regarding the Renaissance Dam crisis, the Saudi side affirmed its full support for Egyptian water security as an integral part of Arab water security, and urged Ethiopia not to take any unilateral measures regarding the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, citing the importance of negotiating in good faith with Egypt and Sudan to reach a binding legal agreement in in this regard, in implementation of the presidential statement issued by the Security Council in September 2021, in order to avoid the damage caused by this project to the downstream countries, and to enhance cooperation between the peoples of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Saudi side expressed its full solidarity with Egypt in all the measures it takes to protect its national security.
For its part, the Egyptian side expressed its full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all the measures it takes to protect its national security, and stressed its rejection of any attacks on the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing that the security of the two countries is indivisible.
In the security field, the two sides praised the level of security cooperation and coordination between the two countries, and expressed their desire to enhance this in order to achieve security and stability for the two brotherly countries. The two sides commended their efforts in the field of combating terrorism and its financing, and their joint efforts within the framework of the International Center for Targeting the Financing of Terrorism.
At the conclusion of the visit, Crown Prince Mohammed expressed his thanks and appreciation of President El-Sisi of Egypt, for the warm reception and generous hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation during their stay in their second country, Egypt.
Based on the deep-rooted historical relations and close brotherly bonds and joint fate between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt and their leaderships and peoples; and in response to an invitation by President of Egypt, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, paid an official visit to Egypt on June 21 and 22, 2022, where President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and a host of senior government officials received the Crown Prince at Cairo International Airport before accompanying the Crown Prince to Al-Ittihadiya Palace where an official reception ceremony was held.
In an atmosphere of amicability and brotherhood that embodies the depth of close and historical relations between the two countries, an official discussion session was held between President El-Sisi and the Crown Prince. The president welcomed the Crown Prince, expressing happiness for the visit that would frame distinguished bilateral relations and move them to wider scopes in all fields.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the deep-rooted historical relations between the two brotherly countries and commended the level of cooperation and coordination in all fields, where they discussed means to develop relations in all domains in a way that enhances and realizes the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples, reviewing the latest developments in the region and the world and stressing the mutual position and joint fate towards various regional and international issues of mutual interest.
At the economic and commercial level, both sides agreed to enhance economic partnership at the investment and commercial levels between the two countries and moving them to wider scopes to reflect the depth of historical and strategic relations between them through realizing integration between available opportunities through the Saudi Vision 2030 and Egypt Vision 2030.
The two sides also expressed willingness to increase the pace of investment cooperation and commercial exchange, encourage partnerships between the two countries’ private sectors, and joining efforts to create a fertile and stimulus investment environment that supports several targeted sectors, such as tourism, energy, healthcare, transport, logistics, ICT, real estate development and agriculture.
Both sides also welcomed the announcement of huge investment and commercial agreements between the two private sectors worth $8 billion (around SR30 billion and 145 billion Egyptian Pounds) during the visit of the Crown Prince, with Saudi Arabia expressing its intention to lead investments in Egypt worth $30 billion.
The two sides also announced cooperation in the field of generating renewable energy through implementing a project for electric power with a capacity of 10 gigawatts through ACWA Power Company.
They also praised the volume of intra-trade between the two countries, which reflects the depth and sustainability of economic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which agreed to continue coordination and cooperation in the field of preserving the marine environment, enhance commercial exchange between the two countries, mainly in the field of agricultural products, according to agreed-upon terms.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also commended the economic reforms of the Egyptian government, with both sides stressing keenness to enhance economic cooperation that seeks to realize economic stability and welfare for the two brotherly peoples and enhances their abilities to overcome challenges imposed by recent international crises.
The two sides also expressed intention to complete negotiations on an agreement to protect and encourage investments and ratify it by the two sides as soon as possible.
In the environment and climate change field, and out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s role in facing climate change challenges and preserving the environment and supporting Egypt in hosting the COP27, both sides agreed to hold the Middle East Green Initiative Summit and Saudi Green Initiative Forum during the period of holding COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.
As for the health and educational fields, the two sides expressed aspiration to enhance cooperation in the medical field and stressed keenness to support global initiatives aimed at combating pandemics and current and future health threats and challenges.
They also welcomed increasing the level of scientific and educational cooperation, calling for increasing cooperation in the higher education, research and innovation fields, and encouraging universities and scientific institutions and research centers to enhance research cooperation in fields of joint interest.
As for tourism and culture, they highlighted the importance of cooperation in the tourism sector and developing tourist activities in the two countries and exploring what each country has of tourist elements, in addition to enhancing joint action regarding sustainable tourism that benefits the tourism sector and its development, boosting cultural cooperation, participating in cultural events and exhibitions, unifying visions and trends at international organizations concerned with the cultural fields.
In the political arena, the Saudi and Egyptian sides stressed intention to enhance cooperation on all political issues and reach joint positions that can preserve the security and stability of the two countries, reiterating the importance of continuing consultations and coordination regarding the latest development in all bilateral and multilateral events in a way that contributes to realizing security, stability and prosperity in the two brotherly countries and the entire region.
The two sides reviewed regional and international issues of common interest, topped by the Palestinian cause, where the two sides stressed the need to intensify efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to find a real horizon for returning to serious and effective negotiations to achieve peace, in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, and relevant international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, in a way that guarantees the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 parallel, with East Al-Quds as its capital.
In the Yemeni issue, the two sides renewed their full support for the international and regional efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen, based on the GCC initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue, and Security Council Resolution No. 2216. The Egyptian side praised the Kingdom's efforts and its many initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue and reconciliation between the Yemeni parties and ending the war in Yemen, and its role in providing and facilitating humanitarian access to all regions of Yemen.
The two sides affirmed their support for the Presidential Leadership Council and its supporting entities to enable it to exercise its duties in implementing effective policies and initiatives that would achieve security and stability in Yemen. They also affirmed their support for the UN armistice agreement in Yemen and welcomed the announcement of its extension.
The Saudi side appreciated Egypt's response to the request of the legitimate Yemeni government and the United Nations to operate direct flights between Cairo and Sana'a in support of that armistice and to alleviate the human suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people caused by the terrorist Houthi militia, with both sides stressing condemnation of the terrorist Houthi militia’s attacks on civilian objects and vital facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its threat to the security and safety of international sea corridors, and its intransigence in the face of efforts for a political solution to end the crisis in Yemen.
On the Iraqi affairs, the two sides expressed aspiration for the Iraqi parties to reach a formula to form a comprehensive government that works to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Iraqi people in security, stability, development and confronting terrorist organizations, and pushes Iraq's relations with its Arab brothers to broader horizons in light of unity, common destiny and goals that binds the peoples of the Arab world.
On the Sudanese arena, the two sides affirmed their continued support for the success of the transitional phase, as well as the importance of dialogue between all Sudanese parties, in a way that contributes to preserving political and economic gains, and achieves unity among all components of the brotherly Sudanese people.
On Lebanon, the two sides affirmed their keenness on the security, stability and unity of the Lebanese territories, and the importance of continuing efforts aimed at preserving the Arab identity, security and stability of Lebanon, supporting the role of the Lebanese state institutions, and carrying out the necessary reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its crisis, and is no longer serving as a starting point for any terrorist acts and an incubator for organizations and terrorist groups that destabilize the security and stability of the region, and not be a source or transit point for drug smuggling.
On the Syrian arena, the two sides stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the Syrian crisis in a way that achieves the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people and preserves Syria's unity and territorial integrity. They also stressed the need to stop regional interference in the Syrian issue that threatens the security, stability, unity and cohesion of Syria's social fabric, and expressed support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria.
On the Libyan arena, the two sides stressed the need to preserve the unity and integrity of the Libyan territories, and the importance of the Libyan brothers reaching an Inter-Libyan solution without any external interference, leading to holding the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously. The Saudi side valued Egypt's efforts to restore Libya's security, unity and sovereignty, and generously hosted the work of the Libyan constitutional track, in coordination with the United Nations, which allowed the Libyan brothers free space to chart the future of their country.
The two sides stressed the importance of supporting the role of Libyan institutions and assuming their responsibilities. In this context, they praised the sincere national efforts and the legitimate procedures and decisions issued by the Libyan House of Representatives, in its capacity as the country's elected legislative body, expressing the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people.
The two sides also stressed the importance of immediately starting to implement the exit of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya without exception or procrastination and within a specific timeframe, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions Nos. 2570 and 2571, the outcomes of the Paris Summit, the Berlin Process, the Arab League, the African Union and the Libya Neighboring Countries Mechanism, and expressed support for the efforts of the related 5 + 5 Joint Military Committee, as well as the preservation of the ceasefire agreement in order to preserve the security, stability and capabilities of Libya.
The two sides agreed on the necessity of supporting international efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, ensuring the peacefulness of Iran's nuclear program, strengthening the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency, maintaining the non-proliferation regime, and the importance of supporting efforts to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, in a manner that contributes to achieving regional and international peace and stability.
They agreed also on supporting Arab efforts to urge Iran to abide by the international principles of non-interference in the Arab countries affairs, to preserve the principles of good-neighborliness, and to spare the region all destabilizing activities, including supporting armed militias and threatening maritime navigation and international trade corridors.
Regarding the Renaissance Dam crisis, the Saudi side affirmed its full support for Egyptian water security as an integral part of Arab water security, and urged Ethiopia not to take any unilateral measures regarding the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, citing the importance of negotiating in good faith with Egypt and Sudan to reach a binding legal agreement in in this regard, in implementation of the presidential statement issued by the Security Council in September 2021, in order to avoid the damage caused by this project to the downstream countries, and to enhance cooperation between the peoples of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Saudi side expressed its full solidarity with Egypt in all the measures it takes to protect its national security.
For its part, the Egyptian side expressed its full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all the measures it takes to protect its national security, and stressed its rejection of any attacks on the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing that the security of the two countries is indivisible.
In the security field, the two sides praised the level of security cooperation and coordination between the two countries, and expressed their desire to enhance this in order to achieve security and stability for the two brotherly countries. The two sides commended their efforts in the field of combating terrorism and its financing, and their joint efforts within the framework of the International Center for Targeting the Financing of Terrorism.
At the conclusion of the visit, Crown Prince Mohammed expressed his thanks and appreciation of President El-Sisi of Egypt, for the warm reception and generous hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation during their stay in their second country, Egypt.