Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where he pushed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, urged reform of the global financial system, and addressed pressing regional crises from Sudan to Syria.
The flurry of diplomatic activity in New York saw Abdelatty meet with senior US presidential adviser Massad Boulos, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, and other international officials.
The crisis in Gaza was a central theme across the discussions. The foreign minister condemned what he described as Israel’s “continued flagrant violations of international humanitarian law,” its policy of “starvation and extermination,” and plans for the displacement of Palestinians, which he said Egypt “categorically rejects.”
In talks with US and European officials, Abdelatty stressed the need to continue pressuring Israel to accept the current ceasefire proposal and to stop targeting civilians. He also called for accountability for the deaths of 377 humanitarian workers in 2024, most of whom were killed in Gaza. He briefed his counterparts on Egypt’s preparations to host an international conference for the early recovery and reconstruction of the Strip once a ceasefire is reached.
Abdelatty’s meetings also covered broader regional security. With US adviser Massad Boulos, he discussed joint efforts to contain the crises in Sudan and Libya.
Shifting to global governance, Abdelatty hosted a meeting with member states of the Borrowers’ Forum, an initiative aimed at unifying the positions of developing nations in discussions on sovereign debt. He stressed the need for developing countries to reform the global financial architecture to better address the challenges of climate change and rising debt levels.
In his bilateral meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Abdelatty praised the strong ties between the two countries and thanked Hungary for its support for Egypt within the European Union. He also reviewed Egypt’s efforts to prevent illegal migration, noting the burden of hosting more than nine million foreigners.
On Sunday, the foreign minister met with Comfort Ero, president of the International Crisis Group. He condemned the “treacherous Israeli aggression” on Qatar and reiterated Egypt’s position on Gaza, including the need for a ceasefire and the rejection of displacement. He also discussed efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, pointing to the agreement reached between Iran and the IAEA in Cairo on Sept. 9 as an important step. They also discussed the situation in Sudan, with Abdelatty affirming Egypt’s support for efforts to restore stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
