On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received the head of the Iraqi “Hekma Movement,” Ammar al-Hakim, where he stressed his country’s constant concern for the security and stability of Iraq, and its support for all measures taken by the Iraqi state “to preserve Iraq’s sovereignty and the unity and integrity of its lands.”
The talks also dealt with the Iraqi government’s efforts to “fight corruption and restrict weapons.” The meeting held in Cairo was attended by the Vice President of the “Al-Hikma Movement” Mohsen Al-Hakim, the Advisor to the President of the “Al-Hikma Movement,” Ahmed Al-Hakim, the Head of Egyptian General Intelligence, Hassan Rashad, and the Iraqi Ambassador, Qahtan Taha Janabi.
Al-Sisi had visited Baghdad in June 2021, in the first visit by an Egyptian president to Iraq in decades as part of the tripartite cooperation mechanism that brought together Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan, and aimed to enhance political, economic, and security coordination between the three countries.
According to a statement by Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shenawy, during Thursday’s meeting, President Sisi stressed “the historical fraternal relations between Egypt and Iraq and their brotherly peoples,” stressing Egypt’s keenness “to communicate with the institutions of the Iraqi state and all political and national forces in light of the strong fraternal relations between the two countries.”
He also valued Iraq's role in the war on terrorism and extremist ideology and working to uproot their roots, as well as "the constructive role played by the head of the Al-Hikma Movement to enhance stability, reduce political disparities, and advance Iraq's national interest."
While Ammar Al-Hakim stressed his pride in the historical relations and fraternal ties that link his country with Egypt, stressing the centrality of its role in enhancing security and stability in the region, “including supporting Iraq and its endeavors to restore its natural leading position at the Arab and regional levels.”
He also indicated his keenness to consult with the Egyptian President regarding regional developments and to find out his vision of ways to reduce the escalation and current geopolitical tensions, as well as distancing Iraq from their negative consequences.
Security and stability
Regarding the meeting, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former Assistant Foreign Minister, Ambassador Salah Halima, pointed out the presence of some elements in Iraq “that are not in line with the general trend towards achieving security and stability in the country,” pointing out the need for there to be a move to prevent any practices that take place outside the control of the existing regime in Iraq.
He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “Things may require a very large amount of cooperation between Egypt and Iraq, especially since Iraqi national security is an integral part of Arab national security in general, and has a close connection to security and stability in the Red Sea region and the Gulf region.”
Regarding the implications of the visit of the head of the “Al-Hikma Movement” to Cairo, he said that it indicates the necessity of some kind of agreement to remove all sources of threat in Iraq, and to stop any escalation or developments that would destabilize security and stability, and it also pushes towards greater cooperation between the two sides in all fields.
According to the statement of the presidential spokesman, the meeting touched on the current regional scene and its repercussions on the countries and peoples of the region, especially Egypt and Iraq. In this context, President Sisi reviewed the national vision based on the call to give priority to peaceful solutions to crises and conflicts, and support legitimate institutions and the concept of the unifying national state.
He also addressed the ongoing Egyptian efforts to reduce tension and avoid sliding into a new wave of escalation, stressing the importance of Iraq continuing to play a constructive role to enhance the collective security of the Arab countries and preserve the capabilities of the peoples of the region.
Momentum in visits
The recent period has witnessed an increase in visits between Cairo and Baghdad. On August 27, 2024, Al-Sisi received former Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, on his third visit to Egypt, and then discussed “strengthening cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, investment and reconstruction,” in addition to contacts at the level of foreign ministers of the two countries to discuss calm in the region.
At the end of last August, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with the head of Egyptian intelligence, who conveyed to him a message from Sisi, in which he praised the depth of the strategic relations between the two countries, and his constant readiness to support efforts to achieve the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples in all fields, according to a statement from the “Iraqi Council of Ministers.”
A high-level technical delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources also visited Egypt at the beginning of this month, with the aim of “strengthening technical cooperation and exchanging experiences between Cairo and Baghdad.”
The Palestinian issue was a focus in the meeting between Al-Sisi and the head of the Iraqi “Al-Hikma Movement” on Thursday, where the Egyptian President spoke about his country’s efforts to support the Palestinian people through efforts to implement the second phase of the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement and the “American Peace Plan,” in addition to introducing aid and intensifying humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip.
He stressed “Egypt’s firm position regarding the inevitability of establishing the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the decisions of international legitimacy as a comprehensive, just, and only solution to the Palestinian issue.”
