By Sarah El-Sheikh
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen in Manama, Bahrain on Saturday.
The German minister praised Al-Sisi’s last visit to Berlin in June, saying it strengthened cooperation between the two countries. She also expressed Germany’s wish to advance cooperation between Egypt in both the military and the economic fields, according to presidential spokesman Alaa Yousef.
Al-Sisi also confirmed Egypt’s keenness to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields, and expressed his appreciation for Germany’s encouragement of all Egyptian initiatives. He praised the performance of German companies in Egypt.
Meanwhile, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi participated in the opening of the annual International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue. Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa had noted that Al-Sisi’s participation confirms Egypt’s vital role in Middle East issues.
During the dialogue, Al-Sisi discussed the situation in Libya, Syria, Palestine and Yemen, stressing the necessity of limiting conflicts due to their serious impact on the Middle East’s security. He stressed on finding political solutions to solve the crises through the cooperation.
Throughout Al-Sisi’s tour to the UAE and Bahrain, he was eager to highlight Egypt’s efforts to safeguard the security of Gulf states.
“Bahrain is currently witnessing tensions between its leaders and opposition parties; therefore Egypt’s presence in the Manama dialogue is essential to strengthen relations,” political scientist Hassan Nafaa told Daily News Egypt.
Egypt’s alliance with Saudi Arabia to support “legitimacy in Yemen” is also important for Egypt’s security and stability, since the Bab Al-Mandab strait is near the Suez Canal, while the security and stability of Gulf countries is essential to Egyptian national security, Nafaa added.
Also on Friday, Bahraini King Hamad Bin Issa Al-Khalifa met with Al-Sisi to discuss the bilateral relations between Egypt and Bahrain. He highlighted ways to advance cooperation between the two countries in various fields and confirmed the importance of continuing the consultations and coordination between both countries.
