President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said on Saturday that Egypt’s only dispute with Ethiopia concerns the protection of its rights to Nile waters and the need to reach a legally binding agreement on Ethiopia’s dam, stressing that Cairo remains committed to dialogue and political solutions.
Al-Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with African ministers and heads of delegations attending the second ministerial conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, which Egypt is hosting, according to a statement from the presidency.
He said Egypt’s foreign policy is based on non-interference in the internal affairs of other states and respect for stability, adding that Egypt has never threatened Ethiopia despite ongoing differences over the dam. Al-Sisi emphasized that disputes should be resolved through dialogue rather than military means.
The president also outlined Egypt’s broader development vision for Africa, identifying infrastructure gaps, limited financing, and high investment risks as major challenges facing the continent. He said Egypt’s approach focuses on developing strategic transport corridors and logistics hubs, expanding energy cooperation and power interconnection, advancing agricultural development and food security, boosting intra-African trade, and strengthening cooperation in information and communication technology and artificial intelligence.
Al-Sisi noted that Egyptian investments across Africa have exceeded $12bn, while trade with the continent has surpassed $10bn. He added that Egypt continues to support capacity-building initiatives through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development.
On shared water resources, the president stressed the importance of equitable and fair utilization, rejecting unilateral measures that could harm downstream countries or undermine regional cooperation.
He also underscored the importance of stability in the Horn of Africa and the security of navigation in the Red Sea, noting Egypt’s intention to participate in the African Union’s new mission in Somalia and its efforts to help secure funding for the mission.
Al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting African Union institutions and defending African positions in international forums, including calls for reforming the UN Security Council and global financing mechanisms to ensure fairer representation for African countries.
