Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi headed to Qatar on April 13th, for talks which will focus on the advancement of the Gaza ceasefire, Middle East Monitor reported.
This marks the first stop of a Gulf tour to deepen bilateral cooperation and boost mediation toward a ceasefire in Gaza.
During his visit, Sisi is expected to hold talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Sisi will also speak with Qataris from the business sector to discuss economic collaboration. Political coordination, with regards to the Gaza ceasefire, would also be a key discussion point within the talks. According to a presidential spokesperson, both leaders will look into ways of boosting bilateral communication across different sectors.
Egypt received $1.2 billion in funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Africanews via agencies reported on April 4th. This forms part of a wider $8 billion, 46-month programme that was introduced in March 2024, advancing the initial $3 billion deal which was given the green light in late 2022.
The Gulf tour comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens. Israel’s continued assault on the territory has led to widespread destruction affecting tens of thousands of Palestinians. International organisations have raised the alarm over the impact of the conflict, with Human Rights Watch referring to Israel’s military activity in the enclave, as an act of genocide, in its report published on December 19th 2024.
Cairo and Doha remain key intermediaries in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Sisi is scheduled to continue his Gulf tour with a visit to Kuwait, where he will meet Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. While no breakthroughs have been announced, Egyptian officials say they’ve seen positive signals from Israel for a new ceasefire taking shape, Reuters reported on March 27th.
Middle East Monitor, Reuters, Africanews via agencies
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