The UK Foreign Secretary, , made her first visit to
Egypt from 17 to 18 June. During her visit, the Foreign Secretary
met with interlocutors including Foreign Minister Dr Badr
Abdelatty and Chief Commissioner of the National Committee for
the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) Dr Ali Shaath.
The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Abdelatty co-chaired
the third meeting of the bilateral Association Council. The 2
ministers took stock of the bilateral relationship, and discussed
ways of deepening co-operation on growth, migration, and regional
security, looking forward to the agreement of an Egypt-UK
Strategic Partnership later in the year.
On the region, the ministers discussed how to further align the 2
countries' efforts to secure lasting stability and peace,
including in relation to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, Gaza, Sudan,
and Lebanon.
In her meeting with Dr Ali Shaath, the Foreign Secretary
reiterated the UK's firm belief that the future of Gaza must be
Palestinian-led. The Foreign Secretary welcomed the NCAG's vital
role in leading Gaza's recovery and reconstruction, as Gaza
transitions to Palestinian Authority governance as part of a
pathway towards a two-state solution. She discussed the
importance of Palestinian policing in Gaza as a first step
towards implanting the 20-point Peace Plan, and the vital
importance of rapid shelter provisions for displaced people.
Egypt continues to play a crucial role in addressing the
desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza. This is why the Foreign
Secretary announced an additional £3 million ($3.9 million) in UK
funding, including to support the Egyptian Red Crescent in
scaling up aid delivery, by providing logistics support to
the Egyptian Red Crescent's humanitarian aid operations, through
the IFRC's Middle East appeal.
On bilateral issues, the Foreign Secretary acknowledged the
impact of regional conflicts on Egypt's economy, and announced a
new £8.7 million ($11.5 million) partnership with the World Bank
to provide technical assistance for Egypt's ambitious economic
reform agenda and longer-term economic development. The
programme will provide advice and analysis to the
Government of Egypt to boost inclusive private
sector-led growth, making it easier for businesses to invest,
trade and expand, ultimately boosting Egypt's economic
resilience.
Meeting Sudanese migrants at the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) who have escaped the world's largest
humanitarian crisis, the Foreign Secretary
described migration as a global challenge requiring global
co-operation and announced £9 million ($11.9 million) of UK
funding to help countries across North Africa including Egypt
deal with the migration impacts of regional conflicts.
British Ambassador to Egypt Mark Bryson-Richardson said:
The Foreign Secretary's visit demonstrates the UK's commitment to
strengthening bilateral ties and working closely with Egypt
during this time of regional uncertainty. The UK and Egypt work
together to drive stability, support prosperity, and build the
foundations for lasting peace across the region and we look
forward to the formal elevation of the UK-Egypt relationship into
a Strategic Partnership later this year.
On Gaza, the UK provided over £80 million in humanitarian and
early recovery support to Gaza last year. This has helped deliver
food to 650,000 people and improved water and sanitation access
for 300,000.
