New york: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatriates Badr Abdelatty called on the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities and take necessary measures to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty made the remarks during a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who currently presides over the Security Council, on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, as stated in a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

The talks also addressed ways to enhance relations between Egypt and South Korea, particularly as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Abdelatty voiced interest in further advancing economic and trade cooperation, highlighting recent progress in joint projects and growing Korean investments in Egypt, particularly in infrastructure, renewable and clean energy.

He also pointed to promising investment opportunities in major national projects underway in Egypt, including the New Administrative Capital and the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Other areas of interest included hydrogen gas manufacturing and transport, battery and electric vehicle production, green technology, and energy storage.

The top diplomat expressed Egypt's interest in establishing a Korean industrial zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, in the context of joint manufacturing and localization of industry, benefiting from Egypt's legislative and financial incentives and comparative advantages.

Abdelatty stressed Egypt's keenness to continue coordination with South Korea in multilateral forums, especially in light of Seoul's non-permanent membership and current presidency of the Security Council. He praised South Korea's recent positions on the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

The minister also expressed interest in advancing trilateral cooperation in Africa, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), during the Korea-Africa Summit in June 2024.

He discussed the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza, warning of the humanitarian consequences of continued Israeli military operations. Abdelatty reiterated Egypt's firm rejection of any country acting outside international law.

He stressed Egypt's opposition to the displacement of Palestinians and the importance of realizing a Palestinian state based on international references.

Regarding water security, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's rejection of unilateral measures that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin. He said Egypt would take all necessary steps, in line with international law, to safeguard its water security, emphasizing that Nile water is a matter of national survival. He also stressed the importance of cooperation with African nations based on international legal frameworks that serve the interests of all Nile Basin countries.