Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry received Tuesday, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
During the meeting, Minister Shoukry stressed Egypt’s continued support for the UNRWA in light of its important role in providing basic and necessary services to Palestinian refugees, which in turn contributes to strengthening security and stability efforts in the region, said Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shoukry also pointed out that Egypt continues to urge donor countries in various international frameworks to provide the necessary financial support to the Agency, in line with Egyptian efforts aimed at supporting and alleviating the Palestinian people.
He praised the efforts of the agency in implementing a number of internal reforms to mitigate the repercussions of the crisis of declining funding and the search for non-traditional sources of funding for its activities.
He also praised the Agency’s resilience in continuing to provide its services despite the many challenges on the global scene, and its ability to adapt to the current international crises, especially the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis.
“The Commissioner-General of the Agency stressed UNRWA’s keenness to coordinate closely and consult regularly with Egypt, highlighting the importance of the Egyptian role in supporting the Agency’s activities and in mobilizing international support at this time when UNRWA is facing major challenges to fulfilling its obligations towards Palestine refugees and their host countries.
In this regard, Lazzarini noted that Egypt will assume the presidency of the next session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the level of foreign ministers, expressing his aspiration to hold a dialog within the framework of the Arab League on what can be done in the coming period to support the work of the Agency and enhance its ability to carry out its mandated tasks.
The Commissioner-General inquired about the Egyptian vision for the ongoing efforts in various circles aimed at reviving the peace process, where the Foreign Minister stressed Egypt’s support for every effort aimed at breaking the current impasse.
The minister of Foreign Affairs explained that the resumption of the path of a peaceful settlement would positively reflect on the work of the agency and help it overcome the multiple challenges it is going through.
In a different context, Shoukry held on Tuesday a telephone call with his Greek counterpart “Nikos dendias”. The two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation files and ways to strengthen them within the framework of the strategic relations that unite the two countries. Shoukry also extended condolences to the government and the friendly people of Greece for the victims of the train collision.
Earlier on Tuesday Minister Shoukry opened, at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, the 10th edition of the Egyptian heritage products exhibition “Buy Egyptian product”.“
The exhibition is organized by the National Coordinating Committee to Combat Illegal Migration and Human Trafficking, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
The National Committee regularly organizes these exhibitions as part of the implementation of national strategies to combat illegal migration and trafficking in human beings by creating job opportunities for young people and small producers, encouraging them to innovate and produce, and providing multiple marketing opportunities for their products.
These exhibitions are a successful tool to provide traditional goods to Egyptian and foreign diplomats and encourage them to buy them.
The exhibit also showcases the products of 27 exhibitors from the Productive Families Project of the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
The Foreign Minister praised the National Committee’s initiative and success in maintaining the pace of organizing this important exhibition over many years.
He also stressed the symbolism of holding the exhibition at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to encourage Egyptian diplomats transferred to work abroad to buy Egyptian heritage products to inform the outside communities that they work on the quality of those products.
