Latest news with #AbdelFattahal-Sisi
Libya Review
2 hours ago
- Business
- Libya Review
Egypt & UAE Reaffirm Commitment to Libyan Stability
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed discussed the ongoing crisis in Libya during a high-level meeting held in Abu Dhabi, as part of Sisi's official visit to the United Arab Emirates. According to a statement released by Egypt's Presidency, the two leaders exchanged views on the situation in Libya, alongside other regional files including Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia. The talks underscored the importance of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of these nations. Regarding Libya, both leaders reaffirmed the need to support efforts that preserve the country's unity and ensure the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries. They highlighted that any political settlement must be Libyan-led and Libyan-owned, with international backing that respects the aspirations of the Libyan people for peace, stability, and legitimate governance. The joint discussions come amid renewed international calls for unifying Libya's divided institutions and conducting long-delayed national elections. Egypt and the UAE have both played influential roles in Libya's political file in recent years, often supporting competing factions across the country. Sisi's visit also focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Cairo and Abu Dhabi, with particular emphasis on enhancing economic, trade, and investment ties. The two presidents praised the depth of the historical partnership between their countries and agreed to deepen cooperation in key sectors. On the wider regional front, the leaders stressed the urgency of halting hostilities in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire, along with the exchange of prisoners and unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid. They reiterated their support for a two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace in the Middle East. The visit reaffirms Egypt's and the UAE's alignment on several critical regional files, with Libya remaining a shared strategic concern due to its proximity to Egypt and the broader implications of its instability on regional security. Tags: EgyptlibyaLibyan CrisisUAE
Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Tiran and Sanafir: Red Sea islands are now a chokehold over Egypt's security
The Egyptian news website Mada Masr recently reported that Saudi Arabia was pushing to establish a US military base on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, reigniting one of the most dangerous files in Egypt's abandonment of its sovereignty. While the Egyptian regime issued unofficial denials via its media mouthpieces, the government has not formally responded. This crisis reopens a wound that never fully healed: for the first time in modern Egyptian history, its president in 2017 openly ceded part of the country's territory, even claiming it was never Egyptian, while persecuting and jailing anyone who dared to oppose the move. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's declaration that Tiran and Sanafir were Saudi islands ignored historical, geographical and legal facts. It overlooked the fact that the islands were explicitly mentioned in the Camp David peace accords, raising a crucial question: if they were Saudi territory, why wasn't Saudi Arabia a party to that agreement? Beyond the legal debate, the heart of the issue lies in the islands' strategic location. Tiran and Sanafir are not merely isolated patches of land in the Red Sea; they are natural fortresses controlling the Strait of Tiran, the only maritime artery to the Gulf of Aqaba, directly linking Egypt's southern Sinai ports with Israel's Eilat and Jordan's Aqaba. Whoever controls these islands essentially holds Sinai's maritime lifeline by the throat. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Losing them represents not just a loss of land, but the collapse of Egypt's first line of defence in southern Sinai, creating a strategic isolation that weakens Egypt's ability to manoeuvre in any conflict. More profoundly, this step did not occur in a vacuum. The handover was part of a broader regional reconfiguration that redrew spheres of influence to serve a central goal: ensuring Israel's dominance over the region's land and sea, while sidelining Egypt as a central player in favour of a rising Gulf role in the Israeli-American security framework. Key maritime chokepoint Since the Abraham Accords were signed, Israel has entered a new phase of geopolitical empowerment. Granting Saudi Arabia sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir, a deal approved by Israel in 2022, further shifted the regional centre of gravity from Egypt to the Gulf, placing Israel's hand on a key strategic maritime chokepoint now governed by open or implicit normalisation deals. Crucially, these arrangements limit Egypt's ability to play any significant role in the Palestinian file, especially with regards to major crises like the war on Gaza. Israel, backed by the US and the Gulf, now holds the keys to vital sea crossings. Any Egyptian move to support Gaza is thus tightly controlled and precisely calculated. Tiran and Sanafir are not just neglected islands; they are the gateway to Sinai's security and the key to Israel's dominance over the Red Sea For years, Israel has sought to build its strategic economic and military depth through the corridor connecting Eilat to the Mediterranean, in direct competition with the Suez Canal. The Red Sea - from Bab el-Mandeb to Tiran and Sanafir - has thus become a de facto Israeli sphere of influence, strangling Gaza, pressuring Egypt, and tying the Gulf to Israel with inseparable security bonds. Iran and Turkey also play key roles in this landscape. Iran, through its support of the Houthis in Yemen, aims to keep pressure on Israel and the US in the south, turning the Red Sea into a theatre of indirect confrontation with the West. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait has become a pressure point in the hands of the Houthis, who have not hesitated to threaten Israeli and western shipping. Turkey, meanwhile, aims to solidify its military and economic foothold in the Red Sea and East Africa, especially after strengthening its presence in Sudan and building soft military alliances in the Horn of Africa. Ankara views the Red Sea as part of its broader project to rebuild contemporary Ottoman influence, balancing competition with the Israeli-Gulf axis on one hand and rivalry with Iran on the other. Thus, the Tiran and Sanafir crisis cannot be viewed in isolation. Control over the islands gives Israel and its allies an edge in countering Iranian influence in the Red Sea, and blocks any Turkish attempt to expand its influence in Africa northwards. It also serves as an additional pressure point on Egypt, which now finds itself caught between regional powers clashing over an increasingly volatile Red Sea. Disastrous consequences Indeed, Tiran and Sanafir are no longer merely an Egyptian-Saudi issue. They are a central node in a complex security and economic network, deftly managed by Israel through normalisation, economic plans and military projects, as Turkey and Iran carefully attempt to counterbalance or challenge this hegemony. Keeping the Strait of Tiran permanently open under American and Israeli guarantees gives Tel Aviv an unobstructed gateway to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, completing its regional dominance project that economically suffocates Egypt, militarily hampers its movements in Sinai, and politically sidelines it from the Palestinian issue. Tiran and Sanafir: Why are the Red Sea Islands strategic for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Israel? Read More » Even domestically within Egypt, the consequences are disastrous. The Strait of Tiran is a lifeline for tourism and trade in southern Sinai. Any threat to it directly hits Nuweiba Port, and could choke tourism investments and undermine maritime trade, deepening Egypt's economic crisis. In this context, Tiran and Sanafir are not just neglected islands; they are the gateway to Sinai's security and the key to Israel's dominance over the Red Sea. Losing them, or having them used against Egypt's interests, could suffocate the south and isolate it strategically, keeping Egypt in a perpetual defensive posture. I vividly remember the day I went to the library in Berlin, researching the islands' history through maps and documents. I met the head of the library's maps department, an elderly man on the verge of retirement, who sat with me for a long time to discuss the islands. He told me something I'll never forget: 'Anyone who doesn't understand the geography of Tiran and Sanafir doesn't understand how this region is controlled.' Today, that statement is clearer than ever. We are witnessing a scenario where geography intersects with geopolitics, Israel's hegemony is fully manifested by land and sea, and the roles of Egypt, Sudan and Yemen are shrinking amid a growing Iranian-Turkish competition on an ever-more complex chessboard. This is all happening under the watchful eyes of Washington and Tel Aviv, with calculated Gulf approval. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Egypt unveils plan for new desert city in latest megaproject
TDT | Cairo Egypt yesterday unveiled plans for a vast new urban development west of Cairo where a manmade channel of the River Nile will eventually wind through what was once arid desert. The new city, named Jirian meaning 'Flow' in Arabic, is part of Egypt's Nile Delta scheme, a massive agricultural initiative aiming to reclaim about 2.5 million acres west of the original Nile Delta. The ambitious agricultural project, which started in 2021, seeks to boost production of strategic crops such as wheat and corn while reducing the North African country's food import bill. The project is the latest in a string of megaprojects launched by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in recent years, including a new administrative capital east of Cairo.
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Sisi urges enhancing Egypt's position as regional hub for foreign investment
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday, June 1st, 2025, emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to improve the investment climate and to bolster Egypt's position as a regional hub for attracting foreign direct investment in line with national priorities. Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel el Wazir, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan al-Khatib, Presidential Spokesman Mohamed. The President was briefed on executive steps taken to enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy and increase foreign direct investment through a unified national investment strategy. The strategy includes carrying out the necessary structural reforms, setting clear goals, implementing clear and stable policies, adopting incentive-based fiscal policies, embracing open trade policies, ensuring the availability of the energy required for investment, encouraging the private sector, and continuing digital transformation efforts as a cornerstone of development. The meeting also addressed efforts to alleviate any burdens on investors, particularly in terms of simplifying and facilitating investment-related procedures and approvals in Egypt, streamlining licensing procedures through the launch of a unified platform providing electronic licensing services for investors, and reducing non-tax financial burdens imposed on investors and companies. Sisi, also, reviewed the progress of the work related to the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, including the operational and legislative framework for maximizing the value of its affiliated firms, as well as efforts to inventory and monitor state-owned companies to ensure increased investment value and maximize their returns. He directed to continue working on maximizing the returns from state assets and achieving added value for the Egyptian economy by managing them effectively through innovative strategies and partnerships with the private sector. The meeting also addressed efforts to increase Egyptian exports, including the development of non-oil Egyptian exports. It reviewed the contribution of Egyptian exports to the national economy from 2003 to 2024 and set export targets that include entering new export sectors, enhancing the competitiveness and attractiveness of Egyptian products in global markets, and investing in infrastructure to support exports. The meeting also covered updates on the project to establish a dry bulk terminal at Abu Qir Port as part of efforts to transform Egypt into a global hub for transport, logistics, and transit trade. In addition, the President reviewed a study on establishing a logistics station for receiving and handling iron ore and billet in the Adabeya area, within the framework of transforming Egypt into a global hub for the iron and steel industry. The national structural reform program was reviewed, along with ongoing efforts with the European Union related to the macroeconomic support and general budget assistance mechanism. The meeting also tackled the launch of the national narrative for economic development and its various pillars, which include supportive policies for the private sector to be the main driver of growth and employment, focusing the economy on manufacturing and exports, achieving structural development of the Egyptian economy, implementing the necessary structural reforms to drive the economy, enhancing macroeconomic and financial stability, boosting foreign direct investment, and fostering industrial development. In this regard, President Sisi directed that the narrative be completed promptly.
Egypt Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Egypt Today
Sisi discusses Egyptian economy competitiveness with Cabinet
Sisi with Cabinet ministers - FILE CAIRO - 2 June 2025: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was briefed by several ministers on Sunday on the steps taken to enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy and increase foreign direct investment through a unified national investment strategy. The strategy includes structural reforms, setting specific objectives, incentive-driven fiscal policies and open trade policies. It also focuses on encouraging the private sector and continuing digital transformation as fundamental pillars for development. Investors are encouraged by simplifying and streamlining investment-related procedures and approvals, facilitating licensing procedures through the launch of a unified platform that offers electronic licensing services, and reducing non-tax financial burdens on investors and companies, according to a statement by the presidential spokesperson. The meeting also addressed the progress of a project to construct an Unclean Dry Bulk terminal at Abu Qir Seaport in Alexandria, as part of efforts to transform Egypt into a global hub for transportation, logistics, and transit trade. A study was also reviewed on establishing a logistics terminal for receiving and handling raw iron and billets in Adabiya, Suez, as part of efforts to transform Egypt into a global hub for the iron and steel industry. The meeting also touched on the work of The Sovereign Fund of Egypt for Investment and Development, including the operational and legislative frameworks for maximizing the value of the Fund's affiliate companies, as well as efforts to list and monitor state-owned enterprises to ensure increased investment value and internal returns from these companies. President El-Sisi gave directives to continue efforts to maximize returns from state assets and generate added value for the Egyptian economy through their effective management by innovative strategies and partnerships with the private sector. The meeting also addressed increasing Egyptian exports, including the development of non-petroleum exports. The meeting reviewed the contribution of Egyptian exports to the Egyptian economy from 2003 to 2024, as well as export targets, which include access to new export sectors, efforts to increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of Egyptian products in global markets, and efforts to invest in export-supporting infrastructure. The meeting also addressed the launch of the National Economic Development Narrative and its various axes, which include policies supporting the private sector to be the main driver of achieving growth and employment, creating an economy that focuses on manufacturing and exports, achieving structural development for the Egyptian economy, implementing the necessary structural reforms to boost the economy, enhancing macroeconomic and financial stability, promoting foreign direct investment, and enhancing industrial development. The meeting with the President included Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, and Minister of Investment and Hassan El-Khatib.
