Biden, Egypt's Sisi emphasize importance of US-Egypt partnership

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, his Egyptian counterpart, emphasized on Friday their "mutual commitment multifaceted U.S.-Egypt strategic partnership."

Biden and the Egyptian president met on the sidelines of a key UN climate conference, which is being hosted in Egypt's resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, during which the leaders "firmed their commitment to accelerating global efforts to tackle the climate crisis," the White House said in a statement.

"President Biden expressed the United States’ solidarity with Egypt in the face of the global economic and food security challenges caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine, as well as his support for Egypt’s water rights," it said, likely referring to a bilateral regional dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over a Ethiopian dam that could curtail Egypt's share of the Nile River's waters.

Biden further "raised the importance of human rights and respect for fundamental freedoms. The two leaders also consulted on regional security challenges, opportunities to de-escalate conflicts, and the decades-long U.S.-Egypt defense partnership," it added.

Biden's visit is his first to Egypt since assuming office in January 2021.

After the COP27 summit, Biden will travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from Nov. 12 - 13 to participate in the annual US-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit.

On Thursday, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discussed with El-Sisi the Russian-Ukrainian war as well as the Ethiopia dam issue without reaching an agreement with Cairo, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.​​​​​​​