Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, on Tuesday discussed accelerating humanitarian assistance and early recovery projects in Gaza during talks with Kate Forbes, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as the federation signed a headquarters agreement for its regional office in Cairo.
During the meeting, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s keenness to maintain close cooperation with the IFRC and support its mission as the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 191 national societies. He welcomed the signing of the headquarters agreement for the IFRC’s regional office in Cairo, which he described as strengthening cooperation and enhancing humanitarian work across the region.
The talks focused extensively on developments in the Gaza Strip, with the foreign minister stressing the urgent need to begin implementing early recovery and reconstruction projects in line with the priorities and needs of the Palestinian people throughout Gaza.
He reviewed Egypt’s ongoing efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the enclave and receive wounded Palestinians and their companions, particularly following the reopening of the Rafah Border Crossing in both directions.
Abdelatty reiterated the need to remove all obstacles hindering aid delivery, especially amid the near-total collapse of Gaza’s healthcare sector.
He underscored the importance of fully implementing the relevant provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and enhancing coordination with the IFRC through the Egyptian Red Crescent to intensify relief operations and expand capacity-building programmes in disaster response and health emergencies.
The Egyptian FM also reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening its pivotal humanitarian role in the region, particularly in Gaza and Sudan, pointing to Cairo’s efforts to establish a regional humanitarian centre to bolster responses to multiple crises, including in Gaza, Sudan, and the Sahel.
He welcomed closer cooperation with the IFRC to ensure the delivery of aid to conflict-affected areas.
Separately, Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights and International Social and Humanitarian Affairs Ambassador Khaled El-Bakly held official talks with Forbes and her accompanying delegation at the ministry’s headquarters on the same day.
The two sides reviewed ways to enhance cooperation in international humanitarian affairs, coordinate relief efforts, and provide technical support to the Egyptian Red Crescent to enhance its human and technical capacities in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
The talks concluded with the signing of the IFRC headquarters agreement in Cairo, a step officials said would facilitate its operations in Egypt and deepen cooperation and exchange of expertise with national authorities and the Egyptian Red Crescent.
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