Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi opposed using Nile water to gain political advantages and called for African crises to be resolved through peaceful means.
Sisi delivered these messages on Saturday during a meeting with Burundi’s President and African Union Chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye on the sidelines of the Alamein Africa Forum, held in New Alamein in northern Egypt.
Emphasis on shared interests in the Nile Basin
Developments concerning the Nile waters were also discussed during the meeting. Sisi said Nile Basin countries should cooperate on the basis of shared interests and that no country should be harmed.
The Egyptian president reiterated his opposition to using the Nile water issue to obtain political gains. Sisi said Egypt would continue coordinating with Burundi and expressed continued support for the African Union’s role in resolving conflicts and crises through peaceful means.
According to Sisi, this approach would contribute to strengthening stability and meeting the African peoples’ expectations for development and prosperity.
Egypt-Ethiopia tensions
The meeting took place amid heightened Egypt-Ethiopia tensions following Ethiopia’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Eritrea, as well as the mutual expulsion of diplomats between Cairo and Addis Ababa.
The African Union Commission called on Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea to exercise restraint. An Egyptian official said Cairo had reservations about the Commission’s statement.
Red Sea security with Somalia
Sisi also met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during the forum. The leaders discussed security and stability developments in the Horn of Africa, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
During the meeting, they agreed that continued coordination between Egypt, Somalia and other countries in the region was important for strengthening regional security and protecting the interests of the peoples.
