
SCMR head affirms importance of utilizing Arab media to support Palestinian cause
CAIRO - 18 February 2025: Egyptian Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) Head Khaled Abdel Aziz on Tuesday emphasized the importance of utilizing Arab media to support the Palestinian cause, highlighting the necessity of Arab cooperation, exchanging know-how and benefiting from joint practices to serve Arab issues.
Abdel Aziz made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Minister of Media Salman al Dosari, on the sidelines of the Saudi Media Forum 2025, to discuss ways of boosting cooperation and strengthening Egypt-Saudi Arabia media relations as well as enhancing media integration between the two countries, a statement issued by the SCMR read. The meeting tackled cooperation programs in the fields of media training, along with crystallizing rapprochement in visions and policies in media programs between the two countries. Abdel Aziz underscored the importance of developing a joint Arab action to confront social media and foreign platforms that broadcast ideas against customs and traditions, alongside increasing reliance on artificial intelligence technologies in Arab media.
Meanwhile, Dosari affirmed Saudi Arabia's keenness on strengthening media cooperation with Egypt, noting that Egyptian-Saudi ties are historically unique.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Egypt Independent
35 minutes ago
- Egypt Independent
Ethiopian Prime Minister invites Egypt, Sudan to GERD opening, vows no obstruction will halt it
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed extended a surprise invitation to Egypt and Sudan to attend the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on September. Speaking before the Ethiopian Parliament today, Thursday, Ahmed stated, 'The construction of the GERD is complete. We will inaugurate it at the end of summer in September. There are those who try to obstruct it before its opening, but we will inaugurate it. My message to the downstream countries is that the Renaissance Dam is a blessing for Egypt and Sudan.' He continued, 'Not a single liter of water has been reduced from the Aswan Dam.' Ahmed emphasized that as long as Ethiopia is prosperous and developed, they wish no harm to their 'Egyptian and Sudanese brothers.' He added, 'We will use energy and water together, and development and growth are coming. Ethiopia remains ready for dialogue, negotiation, and cooperation with downstream countries.' 'We officially invite Egypt and Sudan, as well as all governments of the downstream countries, to join us in our joy at the inauguration of the Grand Renaissance Dam in September,' he concluded. GERD now '98.9 percent' complete The GERD has reached a 98.9 percent completion rate, bringing Ethiopia closer to 'Achieving its national dream after 14 years of work,' according to the Director of the Ethiopian Dam Project Coordination Office, Aregawi Berhe. Berhe stated on Wednesday that the dam symbolizes national sovereignty and popular unity, emphasizing that it was constructed without any external loans or aid. This assertion directly countered recent remarks by President Donald Trump, who criticized past US administrations' alleged funding of the dam, Gazette Plus reported. Tensions rising Late 2024 saw tensions rise between Cairo and Addis Ababa following the failure of negotiations over the Nile River waters. At the beginning of September 2024, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry sent a letter to the UN Security Council rejecting the recent statements made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed regarding the fifth filling of the GERD. He stressed Egypt's categorical rejection of Ethiopia's unilateral policies that violate the rules and principles of international law, which constitute a clear violation of the Declaration of Principles Agreement and the Security Council's presidential statement of September 15, 2021. The Egyptian letter to the UN explained that the end of 13 years of negotiations with Egypt's sincerest intentions came once it was obvious to everyone that Addis Ababa is only interested in using the negotiations as a cover to prolong reaching any solution. It added that Ethiopia is seeking to legitimize its unilateral policies that contradict international law and to hide behind unfounded claims that these policies are based on the right of peoples to development. Ethiopia, in turn, responded with a letter to the Security Council in which it claimed that Egypt had participated in negotiations over the past decade with the sole aim of obstructing its progress and returning to its rigid positions, claiming that Egypt's insistence on its historical share of the Nile waters is borne from colonial-era deals and a refusal to accept any different outcomes.


Al-Ahram Weekly
an hour ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt firmly rejects Ethiopia unilateral GERD measures as 'violation of international law' - Foreign Affairs
Minister of Water Resources Hani Sewilam expressed Egypt's firm rejection of Ethiopia's repeated imposition of unilateral measures related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Nile River, following the Ethiopian prime minister's announcement on Thursday that the multi-billion-dollar mega-dam on the Blue Nile is complete and will be officially inaugurated in September. Minister Sewilam described the Ethiopian measures as a clear violation of international law, particularly the rules related to the fair and equitable use of international waterways and the prohibition of causing harm to neighbouring countries. Sewilam made his remarks during a meeting on Thursday with several ambassadors assigned to head Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad, in the presence of Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. During the meeting, the minister noted that the Ethiopian side has persistently promoted the idea of finalizing the dam, despite its illegality and contravention of international law. "Ethiopia took these measures without a binding agreement with the downstream countries and despite substantial concerns expressed by Egypt and Sudan," Sewilam said. He condemned these measures as attempts to impose water dominance instead of adopting the principles of partnership and cooperation. He added that Ethiopia's repeated calls to resume negotiations are merely formal attempts to preserve its international image as a party willing to negotiate. However, he stressed that the failure to reach a binding legal agreement for over thirteen years indicates Ethiopia's lack of political will and seriousness, as well as insincerity, regarding these calls. He affirmed that Ethiopia's evasive actions, backtracking, and imposing facts on the ground contradict its declared willingness to negotiate, a position the international community must recognize. On the other hand, Sewilam highlighted Egypt's sincere political commitment to reaching a legally binding agreement that achieves common interests and prevents harm to downstream countries. However, the Ethiopian side's lack of political will has always hindered these efforts, he asserted. Sewilam also reiterated Egypt's keenness to enhance cooperation with African countries, especially Nile Basin states, by supporting development and water projects. In this respect, he highlighted the financing mechanism Egypt has launched, including dedicated funds for studying and implementing development and infrastructure projects in the Southern Nile Basin countries. Furthermore, Sewilam reviewed the state's efforts to bridge the gap between water resources and needs by implementing major projects for treating agricultural drainage water (New Delta, Bahr El-Baqar, El-Mohassema), developing irrigation systems, water management, and other measures aimed at fulfilling water needs and addressing climate change challenges. He also highlighted Egypt's support for African countries through various projects, including waterway cleaning, rainwater harvesting dams, solar wells, rainfall forecasting centres, and water quality monitoring. Egypt also provided them with training and scholarships at Egyptian universities, as well as through the African Water and Climate Adaptation Centre and the Hydraulics Research Institute. "Egypt possesses distinguished water management expertise, which it is keen to share with African countries, especially Nile Basin states," Sewilam noted. The total rainfall in the Nile Basin amounts to approximately 1,600 billion cubic metres annually, and the total rainfall in Nile Basin countries, within the Nile Basin or in other river basins within these countries, reaches about 7,000 billion cubic metres per year. However, Egypt's water share is only 55.5 billion cubic metres. For his part, Abdelatty expressed his appreciation for the ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Both ministries have overlapping responsibilities regarding the water file, which is linked to national security. They also collaborate with international partners to address water scarcity, enhance capacity building, and facilitate the transfer of technology. Days ago, Abdelatty described water security as Egypt's sole existential threat, stressing that the country's historical Nile water rights are non-negotiable. Between 2020 and 2024, Ethiopia unilaterally completed the dam's five-stage filling and began operating two turbines, without an agreement with its downstream nations, Egypt and Sudan. In December 2023, Cairo announced the end of negotiations, citing Ethiopia's refusal to engage in proposed legal or technical solutions. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:


Middle East
an hour ago
- Middle East
OPEN// Egypt, France FMs discuss efforts to stop Israeli aggression on Gaza, West Bank
CAIRO, July 3 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty stressed during a phone call Thursday with French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the West Bank. The call also addressed the latest regional developments and ways to strengthen the strategic relations between the two friendly countries, foreign ministry spokesman Tamim Khalaf said. The two ministers affirmed their joint commitment to enhancing all aspects of bilateral relations and elevating them to broader horizons, in light of the strategic partnership between the two countries, he added. According to Khalaf, Abdelatty discussed with his French counterpart the developments in the Gaza Strip, efforts aimed at resuming and sustaining Gaza ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid, referring to Egypt's aspiration to host an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza after reaching a ceasefire. The top diplomat emphasized the gravity of the situation in the West Bank amid continued military raids, arrests, and the expansion of illegal settlement construction, said the spokesman. Abdelatty also stressed the need to achieve a just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue, through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with Al-Quds (East Jerusalem) as its capital, he added. The two sides agreed on the need for both Israel and Iran to commit to a ceasefire and for regional and international efforts to be combined to consolidate the de-escalation agreement and open the way for diplomatic efforts that would help achieve regional security and stability, the spokesman said. (MENA) S A S/R E E