Video: UAE, Egypt issue joint statement on cooperation, combating extremism

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sheikh mohamed bin zayed, uae, egypt, sisi

Abu Dhabi - They discussed combating extremism in the region and lauded the Riyadh Agreement.

By Wam

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Published: Fri 15 Nov 2019, 8:27 PM

Under the framework of the distinguished relations between the UAE and Egypt, and as part of the official visit of Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of Egypt, to the UAE on November 13 and 14, 2019, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, held talks with his brother, President El Sisi, in the presence of senior delegations from both countries.
Also read: UAE confers 'Order of Zayed' on El Sisi
During the meeting, both sides praised the overall cooperation between their countries under the guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President El Sisi and based on their historic relations.
They also expressed their keenness to strengthen their relations and broaden the horizons of development and progress, by intensifying their bilateral consultation and coordination on issues of common interest and jointly exploring opportunities available, to achieve the hopes and aspirations of their peoples.
Both sides praised the economic relations between their countries, noting that Egypt is the UAE's leading trading partner in Africa while the UAE is Egypt's top source of foreign investments and is the third-largest international export market for Egyptian products.
The two sides expressed their satisfaction at the remarkable growth in their trade that reached a historic high, amounting to around S$5.5 billion in 2018 while stressing the importance of enhancing their bilateral economic cooperation and creating an investment environment that is attractive to investors from both countries, to support existing investments and attract new investments, as well as to achieve the aspirations of their peoples for development and prosperity.

Riyadh Agreement
They welcomed the Riyadh Agreement signed on November 5, 2019, between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council while praising the pivotal role of Saudi Arabia and the efforts of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to bring the Yemeni parties to the dialogue table.
They also commended the UAE's efforts to support the agreement in Yemen while affirming their keenness to preserve Yemen's unity and sovereignty, as well as serve the interests of the Yemeni people, restore the country's security and stability, and stop foreign interference in its internal affairs.
End extremism
Both sides expressed concern at the spread of extremist militias and armed terrorist groups in Libya, in light of the country's continuing division while stressing the importance of combatting terrorism. Therefore, they called on all parties to resume the UN-sponsored political process and reaffirmed their full support for the efforts of Ghassan Salame, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, to find a solution to this crisis.
During the meeting, both sides expressed their satisfaction at the progress of the recent Renaissance Dam Negotiations held in Washington at a ministerial level, highlighting the importance of reaching an agreement that secures the rights of the Nile Basin countries and prevents harm to their water interests. Both sides also stressed the importance of reaching a final solution to this issue by mid-January 2020, according to the agreement reached at the ministerial meetings in Washington.
The UAE appreciated the considerable achievements of Egypt, under the guidance of President El Sisi, as well as its development, prosperity, security and stability under his presidency.
The two sides noted Egypt's leading role in confronting terrorism and reaffirmed their commitment to combatting extremism, stressing the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in confronting extremism and terrorism.
They exchanged their opinions on the latest Arab and regional developments and expressed their satisfaction at the convergence of their views on various regional issues and crises while stressing the importance of solving the conflicts plaguing the region through peaceful means, as well as maintaining the security and stability of the Arab Gulf region.
Iranian-occupied islands
Both sides reaffirmed the sovereignty of the UAE over the three Iranian-occupied islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa and called on the Iranian government to respond to the UAE's call for a peaceful solution to the issue, either through direct negotiations or through the International Court of Justice.
Also, they condemned the continuing foreign interference in the internal affairs of the region's countries, which could threaten their security and stability, and affirmed the Arab decision to condemn Turkey's recent aggression in northeastern Syria, which is a clear violation of the principles of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The two sides highlighted the importance of encouraging the international community to fulfil its responsibilities to ensure the freedom, security and safety of maritime navigation, especially in international waters, as well as of protecting the security of energy installations in the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Red Sea.
Both sides discussed the latest developments to the Palestinian issue, which is the central issue for Arabs, and stressed the importance of reaching a just, comprehensive and lasting outcome in accordance to the two-state solution, as well as the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on its June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.
They praised the role of Al Azhar, which is a beacon to combat extremist ideology and spread the principles of moderation. They also discussed the UAE's efforts to promote the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among civilisations and religions.
At the end of the visit, President El Sisi thanked Sheikh Mohamed for his warm hospitality during his visit to the UAE.


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