CAIRO: America’s new ambassador to Egypt has praised the decades of “courage” shown by Cairo in fighting for peace and stability in the Middle East.

And Iraq-born Herro Mustafa Garg pledged the US’ ongoing support for Egyptian efforts to bring about an end to regional conflict and broker a two-state solution for the people of Palestine and Israel.

In a video posted on the US Embassy’s social media page, the envoy highlighted “the courage and conviction shown by Egypt’s leaders 45 years ago (signing the Egypt-Israel peace treaty) in giving priority to peace over conflict, elevating common understanding over violence, and investing in prosperity over strife.”

She said: “It can and should serve as a source of inspiration for us and our shared mission of restoring peace and stability in the region.”

Garg noted that as the new US ambassador, she was looking forward to working in Cairo and building a partnership with the Egyptian government and people.

Born in Iraq, she moved to the US with her family at an early age and pointed out that she had recently become “the first American ambassador to Egypt from the region.”

She added that during her career at the US State Department and the White House, she had focused on joint work between the US, the Middle East, Europe, and India.

Garg said: “I can think of no place I would rather be right now than in Egypt, the beating heart of the Arab world.”

The American diplomat noted that the current conflict in the Gaza Strip once again demonstrated the extent of Egypt’s leadership capabilities and its key role in contributing to efforts to achieve stability, peace, and prosperity in the Middle East.

She added that her priorities were to strengthen the economic, security, and diplomatic partnership between the peoples of Egypt and the US.

“Expanding our strong partnership is essential to respond to the current regional conflict. It also will ensure that we, together, address our broader shared challenges, including the effects of climate change and the global food insecurity crisis, (while) holding ourselves up to the highest standards of human rights accountability and achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth for Egypt that harnesses the full potential of all segments of society, particularly women and youth.

“I look forward to discovering the rich culture, history, and traditions of Umm El-Dunya (mother of the world).

“I can’t wait to start working together to chart a prosperous and hopeful path forward for our two nations,” Garg said.