Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Duchy of Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO, participated yesterday, Monday, March 20, on behalf of Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the international donors' conference held in Brussels, which was convened by its president. The European Commission and the current Swedish presidency of the European Union under the title: "Together for the Turkish and Syrian people," after the devastating earthquake in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on the sixth of February.

The conference was opened by Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission and the Swedish Prime Minister whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan via video link. Foreign ministers, representatives of European Union countries, a large number of donor countries and international organizations, as well as Turkey's foreign minister also participated in the conference.

In this context, Ambassador Abdel-Aty indicated that Egypt's participation in this international conference in support of Syria and Turkey comes as a continuation of the messages of solidarity that Egypt sent to the two brotherly peoples and their support in facing this severe humanitarian ordeal, referring to the phone call made by His Excellency President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the two Syrian Presidents, Bashar. Assad and the Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the visit of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to the two countries to express sincere condolences for the victims of the devastating earthquake, as well as the convoys of humanitarian and medical aid that Egypt sent to the two brotherly peoples, whether by military transport planes or through a number of cargo ships, which exceeded 3,000 tons. Confirmation of Egypt's solidarity with Syria and Turkey and their peoples in this painful affliction.

The Egyptian ambassador in Brussels also indicated the importance that Egypt attaches to accelerating the reconstruction process in both Syria and Turkey, along with providing urgent and inevitable humanitarian aid.