BRICS Plus summit: Sisi says persistent Gaza war, Lebanon attacks reflect global double standards

CAIRO – 24 October 2024: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has underlined the crisis unfolding in the Middle East region, marked by the ongoing Israeli war and extension of attacks to Lebanon, saying it reflects double standards defining the international system today.

In a speech at the BRICS Plus summit hosted by Kazan city of Russia on Wednesday, Sisi underlined the persistence of Israeli war in Gaza for over a year, “targeting the Palestinian people besieged in Gaza, subjected to all forms of killing and intimidation.”

He added that the Gaza war and the extension of the assaults to Lebanese territories “serve as major evidence of what our world today and the international system have reached, with empty principles and double standards.”

The president also highlighted the actual lack of global accountability and justice for violations committed against international treaties and principles of international and humanitarian law in this regard.

He stated that these implications have resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and the continuation and expansion of war—all of which necessitate concerted international efforts to halt the dangerous regional escalation and avert an all-out war.

Sisi underscored the negative impact that the conflict expansion has on navigation in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, affecting international trade and the stability of global supply chains.

“The meeting today comes against the backdrop of a delicate time globally, filled with crises and complex challenges, witnessing a threat to the credibility of the multilateral international system, and overshadowed by protectionist tendencies and unilateral policies,” Sisi stated.

Since the onset of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed 42,847 Palestinians, injured over 100,500 others, according to the health ministry in Gaza on Thursday. The war devastated critical infrastructure, and pushed the enclave toward the brink of famine.

In Lebanon, the Israeli war has killed 2,412 people and injured more than 11,200, according to data by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health as Israeli forces are combating Hezbollah in the Arab country.

FINANCING DEVELOPMENT

In his speech, Sisi affirmed that Egypt believes in the necessity of solidarity among developing countries and enhancing South-South cooperation as a vital means to confront current challenges.

“Egypt has always been at the forefront of countries keen on strengthening cooperation among developing nations, in addition to its persistent efforts to support the interests and priorities of the countries of the South in various international forums,” the president emphasized.

Sisi emphasized the need to maximize the utilization of multilateral development banks to enhance the access of developing countries to concessional financing, including access to climate finance.

“We affirm the significant role of both the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in providing necessary and accessible financing to developing countries for implementing developmental projects across various sectors.”

Sisi also stressed the need to leverage the BRICS Plus meetings to bolster South-South cooperation, intensify exchange of expertise across diverse fields, and execute joint projects for mutual benefit.

“I would like to underscore Egypt's readiness to continue its efforts in implementing numerous technical cooperation projects and capacity-building initiatives with countries eager [to engage in such endeavors,]” Sisi emphasized.

Furthermore, the president underlined the importance of sustaining cooperation and consultation among developing nations to ensure the effectiveness of the multilateral international system.

He called for collectively addressing attempts to impose “unilateral and singular policies that would harm our countries' interests.”

Sisi reiterated Egypt's full commitment to enhancing collaboration among BRICS member states and countries of the South, in alignment with their shared objectives and the aspirations of their peoples for a better future.

The BRICS Plus/Outreach format meeting held on the final day of the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan encompasses representatives from nearly forty countries, including leaders from Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and CIS countries, according to the Russian Presidency.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and heads of executive bodies from various international organisations have also participated.

JOINING BRICS

Egypt officially became a member of BRICS in January.

The intergovernmental organization comprises Brazil, Russia, India, and China as founding countries alongside other members: Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Through its BRICS membership, Egypt aims to boost its investment and foreign flows as well as to foster economic cooperation with other member states.

Egypt’s participation in the current BRICS summit in Kazan constitutes the country’s first as a member of the group.

Sisi delivered a speech during the summit on Wednesday, reaffirming Egypt’s support for bolstering consultation and coordination among BRICS countries, intensifying cooperation to address global challenges and ensure access to concessional financing and food security.

During the summit, Sisi held meetings with several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, discussing regional tensions.