Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty affirmed during his meeting with the European Union Special Envoy to the Sahel region, Joo Cravinho, Egypt's keenness to strengthen its partnership with the European Union in the Sahel region.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, where the two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in addressing the challenges facing the Sahel region, and to coordinate regional and international efforts to support stability and development there.

Minister Abdelatty stated that this year's edition of the Aswan Forum provides ample space for discussing ways to improve security, political, and economic conditions in the Sahel. He pointed out that the discussions offer a vision for how partners - including the EU - can engage with ongoing developments in this vital region.

The Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of continuing cooperation and dialogue among all parties to reach a comprehensive approach that contributes to bolstering efforts to combat terrorism and achieve inclusive development in the Sahel.

He noted that the session of the African Peace and Security Council held on September 30 had a positive atmosphere and tangible outcomes, reflecting a growing awareness of the threat posed by the westward and southward spread of terrorist groups, and the direct danger this poses to the issue of irregular migration.

Minister Abdelatty highlighted the importance of implementing trilateral cooperation programs that address the security and military needs of countries in the region and help combat terrorism while achieving sustainable development.

He shed light on Egypt's efforts to support Sahel countries in confronting terrorist threats and promoting security and stability through a comprehensive approach that goes beyond the security dimension to also include development, ideological, and capacity-building aspects.

He noted Egypt's role in providing training and capacity-building programs for security personnel from Sahel countries, as well as the role of Al-Azhar in combating extremist ideology and promoting values of moderation through its educational and religious missions in the region.

Egypt also continues to support developmental initiatives and institution-building projects, which contribute to enhancing the Sahel countries' capacity to address the root causes of extremism and achieve long-term security and stability.