President El-Sisi’s Speech at the 31st Arab Summit in Algeria

“In the name of Allah the Most Benevolent, the Most Merciful"

Your Excellency President Abdelmadjid Tebboune

President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Your Excellencies and Majesties

The Kings, Emirs, Heads of State and Government of Arab states

Your Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May the Peace of Allah be Upon You

It is my utmost pleasure to be present amongst you today in the country of a million martyrs. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for the warm reception and hospitality, and express my confidence that the mechanisms of joint Arab action will gain strong momentum during his presidency. Therefore, I reiterate that Egypt will spare no effort to support our Arab League, the home of Arabs, to serve the interests of our Arab peoples. I ask Allah Almighty to support us to do what is best for our nation.

Your Excellencies and Majesties

Our presence here today, after a years long absence, bears political significance that demonstrates our determination to develop our relations and confront common challenges that our countries face. The convention of our Arab Summit is an opportunity to invoke Arab nationalism to renew the will for steadfastness, in order to preserve our identity, liberate our national will, defend our peoples and safeguard their capabilities.

In the midst of the successive international and regional crises, it is of vital importance to recall the bright moments of cooperation in our history, when the meanings of Arabism, fraternity and solidarity were embodied to raise the flags of right and justice, to restore rights and preserve stability and the future of generations to come.

The history of our Arab nation and the developments our countries witnessed in the past prove undoubtedly that what hurts our brothers in the Maghreb will extend to Egypt, the Mashreq and Gulf countries. Also, instability in the Mashreq countries or Palestine will affect the Maghreb countries. Threatening the security of the Gulf is a threat to all of us. 

Our Arab national security is indivisible. As far as our eyes can see, we find the dangers that threaten our countries are one, all linked to threatening the nation-state and the interference of foreign regional powers in the region’s affairs by fueling conflicts, leading to direct military aggression against some Arab countries. These factors have led to prolonged unresolved crises at a time when economic, development and environmental challenges are intensifying, both globally and regionally, and international polarization is increasing, which has become a pressing factor, both politically and economically, in a manner that affects us all.

These challenges have raised many legitimate concerns among the Arab peoples, asking about the reasons that impede the achievement of integration among the countries of the Arab region across various fields; the reasons that prevent our nation, that is rich in resources and capabilities, from keeping pace with the advanced nations. They also wonder about the lack of vision and measures that ought to be taken to stop the spilling of Arab blood, curb the interference of external forces, limit wasting the region’s wealth, and permanently resolve conflicts that will not be resolved by a zero-sum game, in which a party is excluded or rights compromised.

The bond that we share, resembling being parts of a single body, and the magnitude of overwhelming challenges and pressure surpassing the ability of any state to individually confront them, compel us to adopt a joint and comprehensive approach. One that enhances our collective ability to confront various crises based on clear foundations to consolidate the concept of an inclusive Arab world, on the one hand, and supporting the nation-state and the role of its constitutional institutions, on the other hand, so as to contribute to maintaining social peace and consolidating the pillars of good governance, citizenship and human rights. This also entails renouncing sectarianism and fanaticism, eliminating terrorist organizations and armed militias, and foiling attempts to support them, give them political cover, or employ them by regional or international powers to establish spheres of influence in the Arab world.

Ensuring the strength of the unity of the Arab ranks is an essential step in establishing steadfast regional neighborly relations based on non-negotiable principles, binding to all, namely respect for the independence, sovereignty and Arabism of our countries, as well as achieving mutual benefit and good neighborliness and abstaining from the interference in Arab affairs.

Egypt remains ambitious and committed to realizing a true partnership among our countries, based on a common ground of shared history as well as prospects for a more prosperous future. This future shall be shaped by each country’s assumption of its responsibilities at the national level, within a broader context of collective action, to enhance Arab capabilities politically, economically and at the security level. The integration of diverse and varied capabilities establishes a solid system, capable of addressing common challenges and the latest international crises, including the energy and food crises. It also provides us with main protection from international polarization, which has been on the rise over the past period, having negative repercussions on the international approach to address the crises of our Arab region, and reminding us of a historical era, in which the whole world suffered.   

Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,

Keeping up with the path of progress and development requires diligent action to settle the various crises of our Arab world, primarily the Palestinian issue. Here, I would like to point out that our ability to act collectively on settling the issue and restoring Palestinian rights was and will always be the real measure for our cohesion.

The Arab Peace Initiative will always remain the embodiment of this cohesion and of our joint vision toward a just and comprehensive solution, based on the two-state solution and the land-for-peace principle, stipulating the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with Arab East Jerusalem as its capital, restoring the homeland to the Palestinians and allowing the return of refugees, in line with the principles of international law and international legitimacy.

Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,

We still need more collective Arab action, even in addressing the new crises that followed the Palestinian issue in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Sudan, or else the security and peace of those countries’ peoples will be threatened with the renewal of the scourge of these crises. The latters will become loopholes in the Arab Order and sources of instability, which will affect us all and impede our efforts toward development and integration. It might be appropriate to share with you, here, our wish for your support to our current endeavors in Libya to reach a political settlement as soon as possible. This solution shall be under pure Libyan leadership and ownership, without any foreign dictates. It shall lead to holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections and respecting the state’s institutions and their powers, in line with the agreements clinched. The solution shall also lead to implementing the withdrawal of mercenaries, foreign forces and foreign fighters within a specific timeframe, reuniting the institutions of the Libyan state, disbanding militias to prevent the renewal of military confrontations, and restoring the country’s unity, sovereignty and stability.

 Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,

Before concluding my speech, and within the context of the unity of Arab national security, I would like to draw your attention to the dilemma of water security, which impacts a number of Arab countries and warns of grave consequences, if ignored. In this context, we reiterate the importance of continuing to urge Ethiopia to show the necessary political resolve and good will to reach a legally-binding agreement on the “Ethiopian Renaissance Dam”, in implementation of the Presidential Statement issued by the UN Security Council in 2021, and to consider any of the many solutions proposed during numerous rounds of negotiations. Those secure the economic interests of the Ethiopian people now and in the future, while simultaneously preserving the lives of the Egyptian and Sudanese peoples.

The challenge of water security is inseparable from other challenges the region is facing, primarily climate change, which has become a reality imposed on the world. I seize this opportunity to welcome you in Egypt on November 7 and 8, 2022, for the Sharm El Sheikh summit for the implementation of the climate pledges, to convert this challenge into a real opportunity for development and to move to more sustainable economic patterns for the benefit of all of us.

Dear Brothers,

Settling Arab crises and addressing international challenges emanate basically from our belief in the unity of our goals and fate, and reinvigorate our cooperation, capabilities and tools in collective security issues, in tandem with our efforts toward integration along other trajectories. Let us look around. Other blocs have preceded us in efforts toward integration, despite the fact that their parties have suffered from real rivalries and even wars with each other. What about us? We share commonalities in culture, religion, history and political orientation, which necessitates that we unite our visions and transcend our differences in viewpoints.

Finally, my message to our peoples is: “Have faith in our Arab nation, which has a glorious history as well as rich and extended civilizational contributions. This nation still possesses the necessary factors for a more stable and prosperous future, primarily your resolve, minds and hard work. Believe that Egypt will always have its eyes set on the cohesion of the Arab entity, and on preserving and protecting it. Egypt will always support you, and have its doors open for all Arabs for the sake of defending our present and the future of the coming generations."

Thank you all,

May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon you