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Saudi Arabia: ‘Egypt, Sudan water security is integral part of Arab security’

July 2, 2020 at 11:22 am

A young Egyptian fisherman pulls his net in the River Nile, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, on 13 November 2019 [KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images]

Saudi Arabia stressed on Tuesday that the water security of Egypt and Sudan are an integral part of Arab security, rejecting “any measure that affects the rights of all parties to the Nile’s water”.

Following the weekly session held by the Council of Ministers headed by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Dr. Majid Bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, acting minister of media, said in a statement: “The Saudi Cabinet addressed what was issued by the Council of Arab Foreign Ministers at its extraordinary session on the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam regarding the formation of a committee to follow up on the file and coordinate with the United Nations Security Council on all developments.”

The statement stressed “the need to resume negotiations in good faith in order to reach a fair agreement that takes into account the interests of all parties.”

The statement added that “the Cabinet discussed several developments in the region and worldwide,” noting that Saudi Kingdom re-asserted, during the UN Security Council session, its adherence to the constants of the Palestinian cause, in relation to “ending the occupation, establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and ensuring the right of return for Palestinian refugees.”

READ: Ethiopia to begin filling Nile dam in 2 weeks

The statement referred to the Saudi Cabinet’s “condemnation of all the invalid and illegal Israeli policies, practices and plans,” adding that the kingdom is making relentless efforts to help the Yemeni people restore their sovereignty and push the political process forward in order to reach their aspirations.

The statement invited the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities and stand firmly in the face of Houthi aggressions against Saudi civilians and populated neighbourhoods in the kingdom. Saudi has been carrying out an air campaign against Houthi positions and civilian sites in Yemen since 2015 in an effort to push back Houthi gains and reinstate the government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Al-Qasabi stated that the Cabinet discussed the kingdom’s participation in the Sudan Donor Conference held in Berlin, particularly its “appreciation of the efforts made by the Sudanese transitional government and the economic reforms that it carried out despite the challenges,” declaring that the donors’ support for Sudan is now considered an important investment to achieve security and stability in the country.