Today's Edition
KUWAIT (WAM)
Egypt and Kuwait emphasised the need to uphold a culture of peace, dialogue, and the diplomatic resolution of conflicts and disputes in the Middle East to achieve sustainable development and peaceful coexistence among its nations, in line with values of tolerance, respect for state sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs.
This came in a joint statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) marking the conclusion of the official visit of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt to the State of Kuwait, during which he held talks with His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait.
The two sides agreed to enhance economic, investment, and trade relations between the two countries. The Kuwaiti side expressed its intention to implement investments in the Egyptian economy and benefit from the diverse investment opportunities available in sectors such as energy, agriculture, industry, information technology, real estate development, banking, and pharmaceuticals.
The two leaders underscored the importance of the Gulf-Egypt Investment Forum to be held in Cairo in the second half of this year, and the Egypt Vision 2030, calling on the private sector in both countries to maximise opportunities in promising areas of cooperation.
They also expressed their satisfaction with the level of bilateral coordination in multilateral forums and international organisations, and their mutual support of nominations for international posts.
The Emir of Kuwait and the President of Egypt reaffirmed the necessity of full compliance with the ceasefire agreement in Gaza in all its three phases, brokered jointly by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States and announced in Doha on 19th January, 2025.
They condemned in the strongest terms Israel’s violations of the ceasefire and the resumption of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
Both leaders stressed the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in resolving the Palestinian issue through the implementation of the two-state solution and the realisation of an independent Palestinian state based on the 4th June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They rejected and condemned all attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace the Palestinian people from Gaza, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem. They also highlighted the essential role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), rejected its targeting, and stressed the importance of supporting its budget.
The statement further underscored the significance of security and stability in the Red Sea and other regional waterways in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to guarantee freedom of navigation and regional security.
On Lebanon, the two sides expressed their hope that the country would overcome its current crisis and elect a president as soon as possible to achieve political stability and implement necessary reforms.
They stressed the importance of respecting Lebanon's sovereignty and the unity of its people, and condemned the ongoing Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty. The two countries reiterated the need for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and affirmed their support for the Lebanese Armed Forces in preserving Lebanon's security and stability.
On Syria, the two leaders reaffirmed their support for a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Arab consensus reflected in the Amman and Jeddah Declarations, stressing the need to preserve Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to end foreign interference in its internal affairs.
They called for scaling up humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and supporting efforts to restore security and stability across the country.
The two leaders also expressed their keenness to continue working together to address regional and international issues of common concern and to strengthen Arab solidarity and joint Arab action.
