Al-Sisi stresses the importance of African cooperation in water management, and parties in southern Libya warn against the spread of tribalism

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed that Egypt “understands, by virtue of its location and the needs of its people, the importance of the water issue, and affirms that cooperation in managing transboundary rivers must be based on the relevant rules of international law, consultation and coordination, and the principles of good neighborliness and non-harm.”

He added, during the opening session of the eighth mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union and the regional economic blocs in the city of El Alamein, that “every country has the right to development and benefit from its natural resources, but at the same time, this right must be exercised in a responsible manner, and not cause harm to other countries.” He pointed out that “our common interests are greater than our differences, and we can achieve well-being and prosperity for our peoples, as long as intentions are sincere, the language of dialogue prevails, and we commit to the principle of achieving benefit for all.”

Al-Sisi said that Egypt “reaffirms its firm position rejecting any external interference in the internal affairs of African countries, and calling for respecting the sovereignty of countries and the unity and integrity of their territories as basic principles that are indispensable for the stability of our continent.”

He also pointed out that “our countries’ relations must be based on mutual respect, good neighbourliness, dialogue and consultation, away from unilateral policies or narrow interests.” He stressed “the importance of dealing with cross-border issues as issues that require cooperation, not competition, and dialogue, not confrontation, including the management and use of natural resources and cross-border rivers in accordance with international law.”

Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shenawy said that the meeting “discussed the progress made on the main theme of the African Union for the year 2026, which is ensuring the sustainable availability of water and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of the 2063 Agenda.”

On the sidelines of the meeting, Al-Sisi met with Senegalese President Basserou Diomahi Faye, where they stressed “the necessity of adopting comprehensive peaceful solutions that address the roots of crises.” The Egyptian President also met with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, and they discussed the issues raised on the African and international scene.

On the other hand, political parties in southern Libya warned against the “overcoming” of tribal considerations at the expense of party work, calling for maintaining a wider space for political forces in managing the next stage. The warnings came during meetings held by representatives of political parties with the UN envoy Hannah Tetteh and French Ambassador Thierry Falla, where the participants expressed their concern about “the diminishing role of political parties” in the upcoming legislative arrangements.