Egypt’s Sisi flies to Munich for major global security forum

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi travelled to Germany early Thursday for a major global security forum in the city of Munich, according to spokesman for the Egyptian presidency said.

Sisi will be one of 35 heads of states and government to take part in the Munich Security Conference 2019, focused on international security policy.

Experts from across the globe will tackle the future of arms control and cooperation in defence policy, the connection between trade and international security, as well as the effects of climate change and technological innovation on international security.

During the forum, whose main themes include the self-assertion of the European Union and transatlantic cooperation, Sisi is expected to present Egypt’s vision for reaching political solutions to the various crises in the Middle East region as well as his country’s efforts in combating terrorism and extremist ideology, spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Sisi, Rady added, will also discuss Egypt’s vision for bolstering ties between African countries after Egypt took the rotating presidency of the African Union earlier this week.

While in Germany, the Egyptian leader is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral talks with counterparts on issues of mutual interest as well as regional and global developments.

He will also sit with a number of leading business executives and CEOs of German and global companies as part of efforts to draw badly needed investment to revive Egypt’s economy hurt by years of political instability.

The Munich conference, which dates back over five decades, is expected to bring together an unprecedented number of international decision-makers, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Vice President Mike Pence as part of the largest US delegation of all time, according to the conference’s website. Fifty foreign ministers and 30 defence ministers from around the world will also take part.

Also present will be EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde and Acting President of the World Bank Kristalina Georgieva.

Source: Ahram Online