President El-Sisi's Speech at Joint Press Conference with President of the DRC Félix Tshisekedi

My dear brother, Your Excellency President Félix Tshisekedi,
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to start by welcoming my brother, His Excellency President Tshisekedi, as a dear guest in his second home, Egypt, wishing him a pleasant stay and a fruitful visit. I would also like to congratulate His Excellency and the dear Congolese people on the following occasions; Africa Day 2026, a cherished occasion to our hearts, the 66th anniversary of the independence of the Democratic Republic of Congo marked on June 30th, and the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.

I seize this opportunity, Your Excellency, to express our deep appreciation for the historical relations that bind Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo through close fraternal ties that date back to the 1960s, specifically since the battle for independence of your country in 1960. This momentous event represents a luminous chapter in the history of the African continent and holds a special place in the hearts of the Egyptian people.

Distinguished guests,

I held fruitful and constructive talks with President Tshisekedi, which demonstrated our shared political will to strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries across various fields, allowing for the optimal utilization of our potential to serve the interests of our peoples.

I reiterated to His Excellency our deep appreciation for the positive impact and political value of the high-level reciprocal visits between us, and the continued coordination and consultation between Cairo and Kinshasa, including the recent intensive ministerial visits, as well as the important bilateral agreements signed today as we witnessed. This shall add to the rich and growing cooperation between our two countries.

In this regard, we affirmed our determination to continue our earnest efforts to propel relations between our countries to broader cooperation prospects by increasing trade and encouraging investments between our countries.

We also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the field of water resources and irrigation, and to maximize partnerships in water projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through the effective implementation of the cooperation protocol for the Integrated Water Resources Management Project, as well as the Egyptian mechanism for studying and financing projects in the Nile Basin countries.

In this regard, I reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting dam projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We also agreed to intensify cooperation in the areas of transferring Egyptian expertise, providing technical support, and building and developing the capacities of national personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I highly valued the wise and responsible Congolese positions on the Nile water issue, positions that are based on adherence to international law and the rejection of unilateral measures among the brotherly partners of the Nile River. We emphasized the necessity of good faith, the spirit of understanding, and consensus in the Nile Basin.

President Tshisekedi and I agreed on the necessity of continuing positive efforts within the framework of the ongoing consultative process of the Nile Basin Initiative to restore consensus and inclusiveness among our nations, thereby achieving mutual benefit and shared interests without harming any party.

In this regard, allow me to take this opportunity to convey a sincere message to the peoples of all our sister countries in the Nile Basin: All Egypt wants is adherence to the principles of international law and good neighborliness, the realization of shared benefit for all the peoples of the Nile Basin, the avoidance of harm to any party, and working together to maximize the benefits and ensure the sustainable management of our river's resources—the source of life for us all.

Esteemed guests,

Today, we discussed the situation in eastern Congo. I reiterated Egypt's unwavering position, calling for respect for the unity and territorial integrity of the Congo and the sovereignty of the Congolese people over their land. I expressed Egypt's solidarity with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in facing the current humanitarian crisis in the east of the country, and our readiness to provide all forms of necessary medical, food, and humanitarian assistance.

I emphasized our commitment to supporting efforts to restore peace, security and stability in eastern Congo, as well as efforts exerted by African and international mediators to encourage all parties to engage seriously in peaceful resolution processes, in a spirit of responsibility and good faith.

I reiterated our readiness to support confidence-building and peacebuilding measures, as well as reconstruction and development efforts in subsequent phases through Egyptian companies, drawing on Egypt's extensive experience in this field and its leading role on this issue within the African Union. I underscored that African mediation efforts remain essential to underpin long-term peace and stability.

I also affirmed our readiness to provide technical assistance through capacity-building and efficiency-enhancing programs, as well as building and developing national institutions. These programs can be organized by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development in cooperation with relevant Egyptian ministries and entities, and in collaboration with the African Union Centre for Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development, which Cairo hosts its headquarters, thus contributing to addressing the root causes of conflict, consolidating the process of settlement and peace, and fostering security and stability.

My dear brother, Your Excellency President Tshisekedi,

It was a pleasure meeting you today. I look forward to closer cooperation between our countries, for our mutual benefit and that of our beloved African continent. I wish the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its people all the best, stability, and prosperity. I welcome you and your delegation again to your second home, Egypt.

Thank you, Your Excellency. I ask you to deliver your remarks.