Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan came together Sunday in Egypt’s New Alamein City for high-level discussions centered on growing tensions across the Middle East and the close partnership between their two countries.
According to the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders reviewed the current state of affairs throughout the region and the serious challenges it faces. Both called for ongoing consultation, coordination, and collaborative efforts between Egypt and the UAE going forward.
Sheikh Mohamed flew into El Alamein earlier that day and was personally greeted at the airport by el-Sisi. The Egyptian president welcomed his counterpart as “a dear guest in his second home, Egypt,” according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. El-Sisi also spoke to the special place the UAE and its leadership hold among Egyptians, characterizing the relationship between the two nations as one built on deep historical roots and a strong strategic partnership.
Sunday’s summit comes after el-Sisi traveled to the UAE back in May, when the two presidents held discussions in Abu Dhabi. During that earlier visit, the two leaders were also spotted together at Yas Mall.
The timing of Sunday’s meeting was significant, as it took place against a backdrop of renewed conflict between the United States and Iran. The two countries exchanged a fresh round of attacks Sunday involving navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz — this despite a memorandum of understanding that Washington and Tehran had signed in mid-June.
With that flare-up in mind, el-Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed directed much of their conversation toward ways to prevent additional escalation in the region and keep communication between Egypt and the UAE firmly in place.
The Egyptian presidency noted that both leaders underscored the critical importance of close consultation and continued joint action as the Middle East works through its current period of instability.
