Egyptian President commends the Amir of Kuwait's role in regional stability, security

His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah continues to play a pivotal role in maintaining regional stability and security, said Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Saturday.

This statement came during Al-Sisi's meeting with heads of Kuwaiti newspapers, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), and the board members of Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA).

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt Saleh Al-Thuwaikh attended the meeting.

Al-Sisi lauded during the meeting the distinguished relation between Kuwait and Egypt especially during the era of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and previous rulers of the State of Kuwait.

"Such relation is a model to follow when concerned with brotherly and friendly ties among Arab nations and brethren," affirmed Al-Sisi who added that the Arab world was not only connected through interests, but also via a unified destiny and future.

The strength of Kuwaiti and Egyptian relation was evident in the 1973 war against Israeli and the 1991 liberation of the State of Kuwait from Iraqi aggressors, noted Al-Sisi who stressed that the security and stability of Kuwait was an issue of vital importance for Egypt.

Asked about the drastic development in the Arab region since 2011, Al-Sisi pointed out that what have transpired was not necessary the correct reaction to very serious issues and problems.

"Arab intellectuals and those who are enlightened must carry on their role to guide future generations through adequate description of what was really occurring on our countries," stated Al-Sisi who called on such leading figures to look into the lessons that could be learned from experiences of the past

In regards to Egypt, the President said that the Egyptian people have spoken when they came out in millions in June of 2013 to determine their future and take charge of their own destiny.

Touching on the Egyptian efforts to deescalate tension between Hamas and Israel, Al-Sisi said that peace in the Middle East was a strategic option to bring upon a just and comprehensive solution for the Palestinian cause.

He hoped that the efforts would lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as the capital.

While Egypt was working on the Mideast peace process, it also focused on bringing disputing Palestinian factions together, indicated Al-Sisi, affirming that national reconciliation was a vital step to establish a future Palestinian state.
During the meeting, President Al-Sisi touched on the crises in Yemen, Syria, and Libya, noting that what was occurring in the respective Arab nations should end peacefully.

On Syria, Al-Sisi stressed that it was important to deny access for extremist elements into the country as part of a comprehensive peace plan.
Bringing stability to Syria and elsewhere is within the political and economic interest of the Arab world, said Al-Sisi who called for eliminating terrorism in the region.

Al-Sisi took the chance to honor those who laid their lives in the service of Egypt through combating terrorist elements in the country, affirming that their sacrifice was not in vain.

The Egyptian President also touched on the country's road towards economic development and reform.

Al-Sisi revealed that major projects in Egypt were finalized in record time, noting that recent achievements included housing projects compromising of millions of apartment units dedicated to some 200,000 families who were living shantytowns and squatter areas.

The President invited the Kuwaiti media delegation to visit the completed housing projects in Egypt as well as finalized infrastructure projects to witness the achievements.

Reforms have improved economic indices in Egypt, said Al-Sisi who revealed that growth in 2017/2018 went up by 5.3 percent while monetary reserves in Egypt reached USD 44 billion.

He added that there were efforts to reduce the budget deficit to less than 10 percent from the gross national income.

Referring to the period after his re-election in 2018, Al-Sisi noted that reforms would also touch the education and higher education sectors, affirming that several accords would be signed soon to elevate the level of education in the country.

On the health sector development, the President said that Egypt was embarking on a major project targeting 50 million Egyptians to eradicate the hepatitis c virus and other contagious ailments.

Al-Sisi jumped into developingthe capabilities of Egypt youths, stressing that not future for a country without the energy of the nations' young generation.

There are several programs aimed at connecting the leadership of Egypt with the youth to ensure the country's bright future, said Al-Sisi who affirmed that the youths would build the future with the wisdom and assistance of the older generation of citizens.

Meanwhile, Al-Sisi veered off and touched on the situation with Ethiopia and the Al-Nadha dam issue, saying that the two countries were working together to ensure that all involved parties would benefit from the dam project.