State Department / Egypt Daily News
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty today. The Secretary and Foreign Minister affirmed the importance of the U.S.-Egypt strategic partnership for promoting regional peace, security, and stability. The Secretary thanked the Foreign Minister for Egypt’s mediation efforts in securing the release of hostages, for sustaining humanitarian assistance deliveries throughout Gaza, and reinforced the importance of holding Hamas accountable.
The Secretary reiterated the importance of close cooperation to advance post-conflict planning for the governance and security of Gaza.
Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Abdelatty discussed developments in Syria and the need to prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or from posing a threat to its neighbors. On Sudan, they discussed the need to press the belligerents to end hostilities and expand humanitarian access.
They also discussed Egypt’s existential need for water security and the importance of advancing a diplomatic solution on the Nile River in the interest of all parties.
Ambassador Tamim Khallaf, the spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Minister Abdel Ati congratulated US Secretary of State Rubio on assuming his new position, and stressed that the consensus that Minister Rubio’s nomination in the Senate received reflects full confidence in his ability to manage the foreign policy.
Minister Abdel Aty expressed his aspiration to work closely with Minister Rubio and the new US administration in order to strengthen the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States, which extends for more than four decades, and to work to raise the level of bilateral relations in all political, military, economic and development fields, in a way that achieves Egyptian interests – Joint American cooperation contributes to achieving security and stability in the Middle East.
The two ministers discussed ways to support bilateral relations and strengthen joint cooperation frameworks, including maintaining the regularity of holding the strategic dialogue between the two countries. Minister Abdel Aty also addressed the importance of encouraging American companies to invest in Egypt, especially in promising sectors, and we look forward to holding an economic forum this year with the participation of major American companies, highlighting the measures and steps taken by the Egyptian government to support the private sector and create the business environment in Egypt.
