(AFP PHOTO)
By Sarah El-Safty
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met the Special Advisor to Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza on Monday, according to Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Alaa Youssef.
The meeting took place to discuss the mutual interests of both countries and the strengthening of Egypt’s relations with Nile Basin countries.
Special Advisor Mohamed Rukara said in his meeting with Al-Sisi that Nkurunziza praised Egypt’s strong partnership with the African countries, which aims to achieve prosperity in the region. The meeting also addressed the water needs of Egypt and the Nile Basin countries.
Al-Sisi noted the importance of understanding that Egypt’s population of almost 90 million has the Nile as its only source of fresh water. This mutual understanding would ensure that no hindering of the cooperation between Egypt and the countries takes place.
Located in the southeast of Africa, and one of the Nile Basin countries, “Burundi shares Egypt’s vision of cooperation between the Nile Basin countries”, Nkurunziza said, according to the Egyptian presidential spokesperson.
Rukara also discussed his participation in Egypt’s “The Greatness of Islam and the Mistakes of Some Muslims” conference, organised by the Egyptian Ministry of Endowments. He praised its mission to promote a vision of Islam as a tolerant and moderate religion and its efforts to combat terrorism and the ideologies of Islamist militant insurgents in the region.
In February, Egypt attended a Nile Basin Initiative meeting which took place in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, ending a five-year boycott. The boycott came after the Basin countries signed the Entebbe Convention, which undermined Egypt’s majority share in Nile River water.
