Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty is in Washington for a flurry of meetings aimed at bolstering ties with the US, addressing regional security challenges, and fostering economic cooperation. The trip also includes key engagements with members of the Egyptian diaspora in the US.
The focus of Abdelatty’s trip was on regional security, and he met with a series of US officials on Friday to discuss current crises. He reiterated Egypt’s commitment to supporting the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan while rejecting external interference.
He also highlighted Egypt’s efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict, including hosting the Sudan Neighbors Summit in July 2023, the Sudan Political and Civil Forces Conference in July 2024, and active participation in recent Geneva talks.
Abdelatty also acknowledged Egypt’s ongoing support for Sudanese refugees fleeing the war, urging international donors to fulfil their pledges towards countries hosting Sudanese refugees.
The Horn of Africa was also high on the agenda, with Abdelatty emphasising its strategic importance to Egypt’s national security. He reiterated Egypt’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve stability and restore security in the region, particularly in combating terrorism, extremism, and organised crime.
He also highlighted the importance of securing international navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, stressing Egypt’s commitment to stabilising Somalia by supporting its central state institutions, strengthening respect for Somali sovereignty and territorial integrity, and supporting Somali government efforts to achieve security and combat terrorism.
Abdelatty met with US officials to discuss the escalating conflict in Lebanon and emphasised the critical need to prevent escalation in southern Lebanon and avoid a wider regional conflict. He highlighted Egypt’s tireless efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, particularly in southern Lebanon, stressing the priority of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as a key to regional de-escalation.
He outlined Egypt’s intensive communication efforts with various regional and international actors to stop the escalation and highlighted the importance of continued joint efforts to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to safeguard the security and stability of the Lebanese-Israeli border and ensure that Lebanese sovereignty is not violated.
Abdelatty also discussed the Libyan crisis with US officials, affirming that Egypt continues its intensive communications with all relevant parties to contribute to moving the Libyan crisis towards a sustainable solution. He stressed Egypt’s responsibility to assist its Libyan counterparts, given the historical, geographical, and brotherly ties between the two countries. He reiterated Egypt’s support for a Libyan-led solution, respecting the role of Libyan institutions, and achieving simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections to advance efforts towards a Libyan-owned and led solution.
Abdelatty also expressed Egypt’s support for all efforts to achieve a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis, in accordance with the Gulf Initiative, its implementation mechanisms, the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue conference, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
He emphasised Egypt’s unwavering support for the unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Yemen, as well as support for the legitimacy of the Yemeni government and its institutions.
He also highlighted the importance of Yemen’s security and stability, as well as the Red Sea and its maritime navigation, as top priorities for Egypt’s national security and the security of the Arab region and the Red Sea region.
Abdelatty also expressed Egypt’s rejection of the Yemeni crisis as a means for non-Red Sea countries to engage in security arrangements related to the Red Sea, explaining the direct link between the security of the Red Sea and the stability of the Horn of Africa.
On Friday, Minister Abdelatty also participated in a roundtable discussion titled “Conversation with Egypt’s Foreign Minister: Amidst Ever-Evolving Regional Dynamics,” hosted by The Atlantic Council. During the event, he reviewed Egypt’s bilateral relations with the United States, including the recent launch of a new round of strategic dialogue between the two countries, and discussed Egypt’s national economic reform efforts.
The event witnessed an interactive dialogue between Minister Abdelatty and the attendees on key regional issues. Abdelatty provided detailed explanations of Egypt’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, developments in Sudan, Libya, Somalia, maritime security in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Abdelatty kicked off his visit on Thursday with a series of meetings with members of Congress, focusing on regional security, investment opportunities, and human rights. He met separately with Senator Ben Cardin, the Democratic Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Representative Katherine Clark, the Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives; and Senator Susan Collins, the Republican Leader of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
He also met with Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee; Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, Chair of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations and co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Egypt; and Senator Lindsey Graham, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations.
Abdelatty continued his meetings on Thursday, engaging with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, the Senate Majority Whip and a member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations; Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, the Deputy Senate Majority Whip; and Democratic Senator Jack Reed, Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The first day of his visit concluded with meetings with Republican Congressman Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader; Senator John Ossoff, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; and Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations.
On Friday, Minister Abdelatty met with key members of the Egyptian community in Washington DC, at the Egyptian embassy. He emphasised the importance that the Egyptian government places on the welfare of Egyptian citizens residing abroad.
He also highlighted Egypt’s foreign policy priorities, its approach to regional challenges and crises, and its engagement in international issues. Minister Abdelatty underlined the importance of attracting investment and supporting the national economy, welcoming insights and suggestions from diaspora members on these matters. He praised their role in strengthening people-to-people ties between Egypt and the countries where they reside.
