Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty praised Egyptian-Qatari coordination and joint efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. The talks were held on Thursday in New Alamein City on the sidelines of the sixth session of the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Higher Committee, co-chaired by Abdel-Aty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The two sides reviewed a proposal for a ceasefire that would allow the release of hostages and prisoners, halt the war, and guarantee urgent humanitarian access, in line with ideas put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Both sides condemned Israel's ongoing assault, the expansion of military operations in Gaza, and the continuation of starvation policies and settlement expansion in the West Bank. They stressed that such violations of international law only complicate the situation, exacerbate humanitarian suffering, undermine regional security, and weaken prospects for a just and comprehensive peace. The discussions also covered regional developments in Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, the Horn of Africa, and the Red Sea, in addition to the Iranian nuclear file. Abdel-Aty underlined the importance of joint coordination to face the region's unprecedented challenges, safeguard the unity and sovereignty of Arab states, and curb foreign interference, thereby strengthening regional security. Economic ties Abdel-Aty highlighted the importance of boosting economic integration between Egypt and Qatar, stressing that the current momentum in relations should translate into concrete projects and investments to support sustainable development. He pointed to Egypt's recent structural reforms aimed at facilitating investment, including updated legislation, tax and customs incentives, and measures to expand the role of the private sector as a national priority. He expressed hope for more Qatari investments in priority sectors such as transport, logistics, food security, industrial localisation, renewable energy, tourism, and urban development. He also stressed the importance of broad Qatari participation in the upcoming Egyptian-Gulf investment forum in Cairo, and voiced support for establishing an Egyptian-Qatari Business Council to create new opportunities for investment partnerships serving both peoples. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
