Mohammed Abu Zaid

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have stressed the importance of the upcoming Arab-American Summit in Riyadh.

Their remarks came during a meeting between the president, the crown prince, Egypt’s deputy prime minister, and its defense minister at the Federal Palace in Cairo.

The Egyptian presidency said the crown prince had praised Egypt’s “pivotal and firm role as a mainstay for security and stability in the region.”

The official presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said the meeting discussed ways to “enhance various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries, especially at the economic and investment levels, launch more joint projects in light of the promising investment opportunities available to both sides, as well as the exploitation and optimization of all areas available to enhance integration between them.”

He added: “The meeting touched on a number of the most prominent issues raised in the international and regional arenas, as the discussions reflected a mutual understanding to continue making joint efforts to address the risks that threaten the security and stability of the countries and peoples of the region.”

The two sides agreed on the importance of the upcoming summit being hosted by Saudi Arabia between the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and the US.

Rady said El-Sisi had stressed the country’s commitment to its firm stance on Gulf security as an extension of Egyptian national security and rejected any practices seeking to destabilize it.

El-Sisi affirmed his country’s “keenness to continue strengthening consultation and coordination with the Saudi king, King Salman, and the crown prince on various issues of common concern, as well as issues of bilateral cooperation, within the framework of the historical and strategic relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which reflects the common political will and unity of destiny.”

He also praised the “great and qualitative development witnessed by Egyptian-Saudi relations in the political, economic, security and military fields, and the remarkable growth in the rate of trade exchange and the volume of investments, pointing to the common concern to move forward toward further deepening and developing these relations.”

The crown prince said his visit to Egypt came in “consolidation of the distinguished relations between the two brotherly countries and the continuation of the pace of periodic and intense consultation and coordination between them on regional issues of common concern, reflecting the two countries’ commitment to deepening the firm strategic alliance between them.”

“The visit reflects the keenness to strengthen the unity of the joint Arab and Islamic ranks in facing the various challenges facing the region at the present time,” he added, expressing his hope that the visit would add “impetus to the solid and extended ties that bring together the two countries at the official and popular levels.”

He stressed the importance of “continued coordination, intensive consultation, and exchange of views between Egypt and Saudi Arabia to address the challenges and crises facing the Arab nation, and to stand up to interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries in a way that aims to destabilize the security of the region and its people.”

El-Sisi asked the crown prince to convey his greetings to King Salman, wishing him continued health.