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Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
President Sisi expresses appreciation over Trump's statements on GERD
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his appreciation towards US President Donald Trump's position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute. 'Egypt values the statement by President Donald Trump, which demonstrates the seriousness of the US —under President Trump's leadership—in exerting efforts to resolve conflicts and end wars,' Sisi wrote on his official facebook account on Tuesday. 'Egypt reaffirms its confidence in President Trump's ability to address complex challenges and to advance peace, stability, and security across the globe, whether in Ukraine, the Palestinian territory, or Africa. 'Egypt also appreciates President Trump's keenness on reaching a just agreement that safeguards the interests of all parties regarding the Ethiopian Dam, as well as his recognition of the Nile as a source of life for Egypt,' Sisi added. During his Monday meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, at the White House, the US President stated that: 'Ethiopia has built a dam that can prevent water from flowing into Egypt, and the problem is that we are the ones who financed the construction of this dam, and I believe that we will reach a solution regarding the Renaissance Dam.' Commenting on this, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Egyptian Council for African Affairs, Salah Halima, affirmed that Trump possesses the experience and capabilities necessary to resolve the GERD crisis. Trump pushes for peace Halima said that Trump has declared his willingness to take active and effective action to resolve regional and international issues and conflicts, in the hopes of winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He praised President Sisi's positive and constructive response to Trump's move. The Director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Ayman Abdel-Wahab, emphasized that Trump's statements regarding GERD show his desire to present himself as a leader capable of resolving and ending conflicts – despite stumbling blocks thus far. He said that Trump is aware of the seriousness of this issue towards stability in the Horn of Africa region, given the tense Egyptian-Sudanese relations with Ethiopia. Abdel-Wahab explained that the Trump administration could help reach an institutional and legal agreement that guarantees Egypt's rights, noting however that this requires America's genuine interest. The advisor to Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies and an expert on African affairs, Amany al-Tawil said that Trump's statements come as part of his efforts to market himself domestically and internationally as a leader capable of dealing with complex global problems. She warned that Trump's previous efforts on the dam issue 'have yielded nothing,' noting that these statements should be viewed 'very cautiously' as they are linked to Trump's perception of his overall performance and his self-image as 'a great president or president of the greatest country.'
News18
14-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Trump Becomes First US President In 25 Years To Meet Syrian Leader As He Lifts Assad-Era Sanctions
Trump, in Riyadh on first state visit of his second term, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla turned interim president. Donald Trump became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader on Wednesday after he offered sanctions relief in hopes of offering a new path to the war-battered country. Trump, in Riyadh on the first state visit of his second term, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla turned interim president after the December overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad. The two held brief talks ahead of a larger gathering of Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia during Trump's tour of the region, a White House official said. No US president has met a Syrian leader since Bill Clinton saw Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, in Geneva in 2000 in a failed effort to persuade him to make peace with Israel. Trump announced on Tuesday that he was lifting 'brutal and crippling" Assad-era sanctions on Syria in response to demands from Sharaa's allies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia — in his latest step out of tune with US ally Israel. Trump said it was Syrians' 'time to shine" and that easing sinctions would 'give them a chance at greatness". Syrians celebrated the news, with dozens of men, women and children gathering in Damascus's Umayyad Square. 'My joy is great. This decision will definitely affect the entire country positively. Construction will return, the displaced will return, and prices will go down," said Huda Qassar, a 33-year-old English-language teacher. The Syrian foreign ministry called Trump's decision a 'pivotal turning point" that would help bring stability. The United States imposed sweeping restrictions on financial transactions with Syria during the brutal civil war and made clear it would use sanctions to punish anyone involved in reconstruction so long as Assad remained in power without accountability for atrocities. Trump gave no indication that the United States would remove Syria from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism — a designation dating back to 1979 over support to Palestinian militants that severely impedes investment. – Opening way for investment – Other Western powers including the European Union have already moved to lift sanctions but the United States had earlier held firm on conditions. A senior envoy of the Joe Biden administration met Sharaa in Damascus in December and called for commitments, including on the protection of minorities. In recent weeks, Syria has seen a series of bloody attacks on minority groups, including Alawites — the sect of the largely secular Assad family — and the Druze. Israel has kept up a bombing campaign against Syria both before and after the fall of Assad, with Israel pessimistic about change under Sharaa and hoping to degrade the military capacity of its longtime adversary. Rabha Seif Allam of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo said that the easing of US sanctions would allow Syria to reintegrate with the global economy, including by allowing bank transfers from investors and some of the millions of Syrians who fled during the civil war. 'Lifting sanctions will give Syria a real opportunity to receive the funding needed to revive the economy, impose central state authority and launch reconstruction projects with clear Gulf support," she said. – Qatar plane controversy – Trump will also attend a meeting of Gulf Arab states in Riyadh before flying on to Qatar. The Doha visit comes after controversy over Qatar's offer to Trump of a $400 million luxury aircraft to serve as a new Air Force One and then go to his personal use. The move raises major constitutional and ethical questions — as well as security concerns about a foreign power donating the ultra-sensitive presidential jet. Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, on Tuesday vowed to hold up all Justice Department political appointees in protest over the move. Qatar has been a key intermediary with Hamas, helping Washington negotiate directly the release this week from Gaza of joint US-Israeli national Edan Alexander. Qatar, alongside Egypt and the United States, hammered out a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that came into effect on January 19 — a day before Trump's inauguration. Israel has ended the ceasefire and vowed a new offensive to finish Hamas. It has blocked all aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, prompting warnings of impending famine. (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP) Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Saudi Arabia First Published:
Memri
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Articles In Egyptian Government Daily 'Al-Ahram' Oppose Disarming Hamas: It Would Enable Israel To Annex Gaza And Expel Its Residents
The Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram recently published several articles rejecting Israel's and America's demand to disarm Hamas. The authors claim that this demand is unacceptable because relinquishing armed resistance will prevent the liberation of Palestine and enable Israel to annex the Gaza Strip and expel its residents. They praise Egypt for refusing to include the issue of disarming Hamas in the agenda of the recent Arab summit, call to formulate a comprehensive strategy vis-à-vis Israel combining armed resistance and diplomatic action, and stress the need to inculcate the spirit of resistance in the younger generation in order to defend the Arab homelands. The following are translated excerpts from these articles: Egyptian Researcher: Expecting Hamas To Disarm Is Like Expecting A Victim To Turn Himself In To His Executioner Abd Al-Alim Muhammad, an advisor at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, wrote that Hamas cannot be expected to disarm as long as the occupation continues, and praised Egypt's refusal to include this demand in the agenda of the recent Arab summit, held in Cairo on March 4, 2025. He wrote: "In the recent days, Israel, with the support of the U.S., has focused on the demand to disarm the resistance – in particular Hamas – as a precondition for stopping the war of genocide, starvation and denial of water, medicine and food to the Gaza Strip. This impossible demand involves deceptions and contradictions... "Expecting the Palestinian people to willingly give up the resistance and the weapons with which they confront the occupation is like expecting a victim to turn himself in to the executioner, a demand that no normal person can [even] contemplate. Disarming the resistance means liberating the occupation of any fetters and giving free rein to its satanic imagination. [It means] letting it do as it pleases to an unarmed people that has been denied [the right] to resist – especially given that the Israeli occupation has a plan to eliminate the [Palestinian] cause, annex the territories and expel the Palestinian people by force… "It is wrong to sympathize with the demand to disarm the resistance while disregarding the sights of destruction and extermination unless the occupation is over, the land has been liberated and the Palestinian people is allowed to establish its state with Jerusalem as its capital. Egypt was right to refuse to include [the issue of] disarming the resistance in the agenda of the latest Arab summit. The resistance endures and will persist in new versions and equations as long as the occupation exists. The disasters that have befallen the Palestinian people will not be resolved without renewing the resistance…" [1] Egyptian Columnist: There Can Be No Peace Without Resistance; We Need A Strategy Combining Armed Resistance With Diplomacy Al-Ahram columnist Sa'id Shalash likewise opposed the demand to disarm Hamas, writing: "Disarming will not bring about the liberation of Palestine, and there can be no peace without resistance. What is needed right now is a comprehensive resistance strategy that combines armed resistance with diplomatic action, [as well as] rebuilding the PLO and uniting the Palestinian military and political efforts. Palestine will only be liberated by combining resistance and peace [efforts]. The occupier will not be [persuaded to] leave through diplomacy alone." [2] Egyptian Columnist: The Blessed Spirit Of Resistance And Boycott Must Be Fostered In The Hearts Of The Younger Generation Al-Ahram columnist Wa'el Laithi wrote, in a similar vein, that resistance is a legitimate right and that Gaza will never be liberated if Hamas gives up the resistance: "Resisting occupation is a legitimate right that is supported by international conventions and laws and is aimed at granting peoples their freedom. That is what people fight and sacrifice for… Resistance is a right, no matter the controversies about the [various resistance] factions. Without it the Palestinians will never obtain their rights. Will Gaza be liberated if Hamas gives up the resistance and is exiled abroad? Of course not. On the contrary: Israel will take over the Strip and its residents will be ousted, willingly or by force. The peoples of the world have firmly rejected [Israel's] aggression from the outset, as reflected in the mass demonstrations held in many cities. In addition, the campaign to boycott the products of companies that support Israel has been renewed, and this is an effective weapon if used correctly… "The spirit of resistance and boycott is a very blessed one that must be preserved and fostered in the hearts of the younger generations so as to strengthen them, in order to protect our homelands from an enemy that aspires to realize the dream of Greater Israel." [3] [1] Al-Ahram (Egypt), April 5, 2025. [2] Al-Ahram (Egypt), April 10, 2025. [3] Al-Ahram (Egypt), April 10, 2025.
