Cairo Peace Summit

Cairo Peace Summit

Address by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Your Majesties and Highnesses, Kings, Princes, Heads of States and Governments,
Your Excellencies, Heads of Delegations,
Distinguished attendees,

Today, we meet in Cairo, during challenging times that test our humanity before our interests. These times challenge the depth of our faith in the value of human life and their right to life. They also place the principles we claim to uphold under scrutiny.

I speak to you frankly. The entire world, not just the people of this region, is watching with wide eyes our positions in this critical moment in history, closely related to the current military escalation since October 7th in Israel and Palestinian territories.

Egypt unequivocally condemns the targeting, killing, or terrorizing of all peaceful civilians. Simultaneously, Egypt expresses its deep astonishment that the world stands idly by in the face of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis affecting two and a half million Palestinians in Gaza. They endure collective punishment, blockade, hunger, and severe pressures for forced displacement in practices rejected by the civilized world, which established international agreements and humanitarian law to criminalize and prevent their recurrence. This leads us to reiterate our call for providing international protection to the Palestinian people and innocent civilians.

Allow me to question openly: 

Where are the values of human civilization that we have built over millennia?

Where is the equality of human lives without discrimination or double standards?

Egypt, from the very beginning, has engaged in strenuous efforts, day and night, to coordinate and send humanitarian aid to those besieged in Gaza. Egypt has never closed the Rafah land crossing at any moment. However, repeated Israeli bombardment on the Palestinian side has hindered its operation. In these harsh field conditions, I have agreed with the US President to sustainably operate the crossing, supervised and coordinated by the United Nations, UNRWA, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, with aid distribution under UN supervision to the people in Gaza.

Honorable attendees,

The world should not accept the use of humanitarian pressure to force displacement. Egypt reiterates its strong rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians to Egyptian territories in Sinai, as this is nothing but the final liquidation of the Palestinian cause, the end of the dream of an independent Palestinian state, and the wasting of the Palestinian people's struggle and the Arab and Islamic nations, as well as all free people worldwide, over 75 years, which is the age of the Palestinian cause.

Those who think that the resilient Palestinian people are willing to leave their land, even under occupation or bombardment, misunderstand the nature of the Palestinian people.

I also want to make it clear to the world, with absolute clarity and a sincere expression, that all the Egyptian people are united in their will. The solution to the Palestinian issue is not displacement or the removal of an entire people to other areas, but the only solution is justice. Palestinians should have their legitimate rights in determining their destiny and living in dignity and security in an independent state on their land, just like all other peoples on Earth.

Honorable attendees,

We face an unprecedented crisis that requires full attention to prevent the expansion of the conflict, which threatens the stability of the region, as well as international peace and security.

That's why I have called upon you today to discuss and work together to reach a specific consensus on a roadmap. This roadmap aims to end the current humanitarian catastrophe and revive the peace process through several axes, starting with ensuring the full, secure, rapid, and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. We should immediately move to negotiations for a ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities, followed by urgent negotiations to revive the peace process, leading to a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel based on international legitimacy. We should also seriously work to strengthen the legitimate Palestinian authority to fully perform its responsibilities in Palestinian territories.

Honorable attendees,

Let's send a message to the people of the world that their leaders understand the enormity of their responsibility. They see the human catastrophe and feel the pain in their hearts for every innocent child who dies due to a conflict they don't understand. Death comes to them from shells or shelling, or it comes slowly from wounds that find no cure or from hunger with no relief.

Let's send a message of hope to the people of the world that tomorrow will be better than today.

Thank you, and peace be upon you.