Between security and the economy.. Details of the meeting of Sisi and the President of Djibouti
Al-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s keenness to strengthen relations and consolidate strategic cooperation with Djibouti in various fields. To establish a sustainable partnership between the two countries, which reflects more coordination and cooperation regarding regional security issues and complementary work to establish peace and stability in the region.
For his part, the President of Djibouti expressed his country’s aspiration to develop bilateral relations with Egypt at various levels, especially at the present time when the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea are witnessing successive challenges.
Guelleh explained that this requires intensifying cooperation and coordination with Egypt and its leadership against the background of the pivotal weight that Egypt represents in the entire region in terms of maintaining peace and security, praising the Egyptian positions aimed at achieving stability in the Horn of Africa, which was reflected in the great Egyptian support for Djibouti during the last stage. .
Diplomats and observers considered that the visit of the President of Djibouti to Cairo bears special importance in terms of Egyptian national security, in light of the state of security instability that exists in the regional scene, especially in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
Egyptian interest
The former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister, Hussein Haridi, told “Sky News Arabia” that Guila’s visit embodies the increasing strategic importance of Djibouti for Egyptian national security and Egyptian foreign policy, in light of the regional repercussions and the turmoil in the Horn of Africa.
Haridi considered that it is in Egypt’s interest to have very close relations with Djibouti, allowing Cairo to be in a better front to secure the southern entrance to the Suez Canal, and thwart any threats, whether from countries, terrorist groups, or armed militias to the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
He stressed that Guila’s visit comes to exchange information and views with Egypt on the situation in the Horn of Africa and the terrorist operations it is witnessing, and the security of the Red Sea, and all this is in the Egyptian interest.
He pointed out that the visit witnessed a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding in the economic aspect; To deepen cooperation between the two countries, especially that Egypt has great experience in issues of construction, reconstruction and infrastructure, and is fully prepared to put its expertise in these important areas at the disposal of Djibouti.
At the conclusion of the talks between Sisi and Guelleh, the two presidents witnessed the signing ceremony of a number of memoranda of understanding in the areas of political consultation, energy and renewable resources, and the establishment of the Egyptian logistic zone in Djibouti.
Sisi stressed the importance of developing cooperation projects between the two sides during the coming period, while overcoming all obstacles, especially in the sectors of infrastructure, energy, health, aviation, education and small and medium enterprises, as well as increasing inter-investment and raising the rates of trade exchange.
AlNahda dam
In turn, the strategic expert, Samir Ragheb, explained in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that Guila’s visit comes in response to Sisi’s visit to his country last May, as it was the first visit of an Egyptian president to Djibouti.
Ragheb added that Djibouti is an important country in the Horn of Africa and is joint with Egypt in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden alliance, and therefore the slogan of this visit was to preserve Egyptian and regional national security.
He pointed out that Djibouti is one of the countries of the Horn of Africa, and is greatly affected by what is happening in Ethiopia, and therefore it is important to coordinate with it in the crisis of the Renaissance Dam, as it is a neighboring country to the Nile Basin countries, especially since Egypt is moving in all axes related to the crisis to work to overcome it.
In a press conference after the talks, Al-Sisi said that in his meeting with Guila, he touched on the developments of the Renaissance Dam file, and emphasized Egypt’s political will aimed at reaching a binding legal agreement on filling and operating the Renaissance Dam within an appropriate time frame, in a manner that enhances security and stability. regional, based on the rules of international law and the decisions of the Security Council.
Ragheb added, “The accumulation of mutual visits between Egypt and Djibouti confirms understandings on regional issues, foremost of which is stability in the Horn of Africa, which suffers from other problems other than the Renaissance Dam crisis, especially the increase in terrorist activity, specifically in Somalia.”
He pointed out that President Sisi has always sought to deepen African affiliation to serve Egyptian interests, and is aware of the geostrategic importance of Djibouti.
