Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi discussed current regional issues and the latest developments regarding the Gerhard Dam issue with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He emphasized Egypt's firm position on safeguarding its water security now and in the future.
In a press conference held today with Sánchez, Sisi stated, "I had fruitful and constructive discussions with the Prime Minister of Spain, clearly reflecting our shared political will to enhance cooperation frameworks between Egypt and Spain in various fields, allowing for the optimal utilization of our capabilities to serve the interests of both countries."
Sisi highlighted the need to increase trade exchange rates between the two countries, alongside efforts to achieve balance in the trade balance by providing more opportunities for Egyptian exports to access the Spanish market.
The two sides also discussed ways to increase Spanish tourism flows to Egyptian tourism destinations, specifically in South Sinai, the Red Sea, Marsa Matrouh, Luxor, and Aswan.
Furthermore, Sisi informed the Spanish Prime Minister about the strict health measures applied by Egypt in these destinations, including the extensive vaccination campaign undertaken by the Egyptian government for workers in the tourism sector against the coronavirus.
He explained that they exchanged views on the health, economic, and social repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, reviewing the efforts made by the Egyptian state and its various bodies to manage this crisis.
On another note, Sisi reaffirmed his intention to address a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest with the Spanish Prime Minister. He said, "I briefed him on the latest developments regarding the Gerhard Dam issue and Egypt’s steadfast position in safeguarding its water security now and in the future."
He underscored the importance of reaching a comprehensive, fair, and legally binding agreement between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia regarding the rules for filling and operating the Gerhard Dam, and the necessity for the international community to push in this direction and support an effective negotiation process to achieve this goal.
Sisi continued, "I also exchanged views with the Prime Minister on developments in our region in general and regarding the overall strategic situation in the Mediterranean Basin and our common regional neighborhood, emphasizing Egypt's vision on the importance of addressing tension hotspots in the region through solutions that restore stability and enhance nations' capabilities to achieve their people's aspirations for safe and free living and sustainable economic development."
He added, "We also discussed international efforts to address the impacts of climate change and the outcomes of the recent Glasgow summit, especially given Egypt's upcoming hosting of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change next year."
