CAIRO, April 5, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi stressed on Thursday the essential role undertaken by the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIU) to realise Arab unity in order to face the threats to Arab national security. The presidential statements came out during his address to the 27th meeting of the AIU, opened at the House of Deputies in Cairo, and was read out on his behalf by Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal. The president said that the conference came at a time when the Arab peoples were looking forward to strengthening their co-operation to confront the challenges to Arab security. Referring to the role played by Egypt to achieve Palestinian reconciliation, the president asserted the importance of achieving peace in the region and establishing the Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The president referred to the fact that the conference coincided with the celebration of Sinai Liberation Day and the Arab nation's restoration of its dignity. "In today's gathering, you are dealing with the hopes of your peoples whom you are honoured to represent. Those peoples are looking up to you in the hope of realising more integration and unity ... and in the hope of uniting in the face of surrounding challenges." The president said that the AIU was established to boost co-operation among the parliaments of Arab countries, represent the will of the public and reflect the aspirations of Arab citizens. "You are convening today in critical circumstances that hold uphill challenges for the Arab and Muslim nations and pose significant threats to them," he said, adding that the Arab region was now a hotbed for some of the world's fiercest civil wars and it was now becoming the most vulnerable to terrorism. One in every three refugees is now from the Arab world, he said, adding that the Mediterranean had become a centre for illegal migration. The president emphasised that today's challenges could not be faced by one country regardless of its capability. "The only way out ... is to stick with the national state that is based on the principles of citizenship, the sovereignty of law and national unity, avoiding sectarianism and tribalism." Taking the Syrian, Libyan and Yemeni crises as examples, President Sisi said that a political solution based on consensus, the unity of the state and the elimination of terrorism was the only way to settle the conflicts. He said that the economic and social challenges facing the Arab nation were no less dangerous than the political and security challenges. The Arab nation needed to intensify its efforts as to consolidate the concept of sustainable development and sound management, empower young people and support women. He stressed that the Arab world had to give priority to reviving Arab economic co-operation and integration. "It is now high time to effectuate trade and investment between the Arab countries, increase their volume and make the best use of the resources that our countries have in a way that fulfils common interests and supports comprehensive development," the president said. The president also stressed that Egypt was now waging a ferocious war to eliminate terrorism wherever it exists. Facing this danger, President Sisi said, comes at the top of Egypt's priorities during its membership in the United Nations Security Council and its chairmanship of the terrorism combatting committee. "Comprehensive Arab unity is the hope of our nation. For this sake, we have to develop common interests and extend bridges between the parliamentary bodies of our Arab nation."
