Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi met on Monday to discuss nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament, and regional stability, the Egyptian presidency said. The meeting in Cairo was attended by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and GIS (Egypt's El Mukhabarat El 'Amma) chief Hassan Rashad. At the outset of the meeting, President Al-Sisi affirmed Egypt's appreciation for the IAEA's "significant role in bolstering the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime," the Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson stated. Al-Sisi noted that this role "contributes to enhancing international peace and security, alongside maximising the benefits derived from the peaceful applications of atomic energy." The President also expressed gratitude for "the ongoing efforts to expand the frameworks of cooperation between Egypt and the Agency." Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, the Official Spokesperson, further elaborated that President Al-Sisi emphasised Egypt's "consistent position at the forefront of nations advocating for the disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation regime, with the ultimate goal of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons." The spokesperson highlighted that Al-Sisi stressed Egypt "persistently underscores the necessity of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East." Furthermore, Egypt "looks forward to the IAEA strengthening its role in supporting efforts to achieve the universality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons." For his part, the IAEA Director General commended Egypt's "active and historic role in the field of disarmament and its ongoing efforts in this regard," according to the spokesperson. The meeting also addressed regional developments, the spokesperson mentioned. President Al-Sisi reviewed Egypt's "endeavours to restore regional stability, stressing the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach to address all regional security matters to ensure security and stability in the Middle East."
