Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah late Sunday where they reportedly tackled the restive situation in various countries in the Arab world. According to Al-Ahram Arabic news website, eradicating terrorism from the region -- which has soared in the past four years -- was on top of the two Arab leaders' agenda. The meeting, which took place in Jeddah, focused on "what is happening in Libya, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon," reported Al-Ahram. According to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Saud Al-Fasil, the Saudi minister of foreign affairs, said the meeting between the two Arab leaders was necessary in the current circumstances facing the region. "As long as the two leaderships meet, it is hoped that their meetings and consultations are useful in reforming the situation in the Arab world so it can do its duty towards our oppressed brothers in Palestine, the afflicted people in Syria, this sedition in Iraq now, differences in Libya, and all the Arab world requires action to reform the situation. And if there is hope, it is in the leaders," added Al-Fasil. El-Sisi also attended a meeting held by Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and attended a large group of Saudi Arabian businessman seeking to increase their country's investments in Egypt. The businessmen also expressed the interest of the Saudi private sector in contributing to the the Suez Canal development project, the agricultural sector, developing the vicinity of the Cairo International airport in addition to other projects. In a press statement, Abdel-Hameed Al-Morsi, head of Saudi-Egyptian Business Council, announced that the council would launch an intiiative to found three new Saudi companies in Egypt. El-Sisi also performed the Ummrah rituals during his visit. Sunday's trip was the first official visit by the Egyptian president to Saudi Arabia. It was also his second meeting with the Saudi king who spent a few hours in Egypt in June, where he was met in his airplane by El-Sisi. Saudi Arabia has been one of the major regional and international supporters of Egypt, both financially and politically, since the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi last summer. The oil rich Gulf kingdom called for a donor's conference to aid Egypt financially shortly after El-Sisi won the presidential election in May. The donors' conference is expected to be held by the end of this year. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/108191.aspx
