Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Thursday arrived in Djibouti to meet his Djiboutian counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh over issues in the horn of Africa.
The issues focused on fostering relations at the security, military, and economic levels, to achieve the interests of the two countries.
On security, the two leaders dwelled on challenges in the region including the need for counterterrorism partnership and underscored their cooperation over security issues in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
They also agreed that the Ethiopian dam be filled and operated according to a fair and binding legal agreement.
“I presented the updates on the Renaissance Dam issue, which is relevant to the vital interests of the whole region. And, I asserted the certainty to reach a fair and balanced agreement on the filling and operation of the Renaissance Dam as soon as possible in a way that preserves the interests of all parties and reinforces cooperation and integration among countries and peoples of the region. I also stressed Egypt’s rejection to any attempt to impose a fait accompli through unilateral measures that disregard the interests and rights of the two downstream countries.” Egyptian president told journalists after the meeting.
Al-Sisi said that the two sides agreed to establish an Egyptian logistical zone in Djibouti and on increasing Egyptian investments into the country.
One of the outcomes is that Egypt will build a hospital in Djibouti and will establish the first branch of Banque Misr in the country.
Spokesman to Egyptian Presidency, Bassam Rady said, “President Al-Sisi’s historic visit to Djibouti, which is the first of its kind, will witness the holding of an Egyptian-Djiboutian summit to discuss various files related to joint cooperation and ways to strengthen bilateral relations.”
