On Monday, 24 September, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi spoke at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, held on the sidelines of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In his remarks, President El Sisi discussed ways that Egypt is working to advance international peace and sustainable development. President El Sisi said, “We urgently need effective policy and operational frameworks to address the root causes of conflict, promote good governance, respect for human rights in all its dimensions, eradicate poverty and epidemic; and empower women and youth, with a view to truly honor and meet the human aspiration for sustainable development.”

He added, “I would like to reaffirm Egypt’s support for the efforts leading to strengthening the role of the United Nations in promoting an integrated approach to meeting these aspirations…These are the values that characterize the legacy of Nelson Mandela and serve as a shining light for multilateralism.”

For more, please see President El Sisi’s full remarks below.

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Remarks of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi
Delivered at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit
24 September 2018
New York City, New York

Excellencies,

Your Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to participate in the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, which coincides with the World and Africa’s commemoration of the centennial of the birth of the late African leader, whose legacy embodied the aspiration of the African peoples for independence, dignity and the elimination of all forms of discrimination. He expressed these hopes with sincerity and pride. Along with other immortal symbols of Africa’s struggle, such as Nkruma, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Sekou Toure and Nyerere; Mandela carved the principles of justice and equality in the minds of all peoples, and sacrificed the most precious to attain his country’s liberation from the abhorrent apartheid. It is therefore natural for his people to carry his legacy with unwavering loyalty, and for his name to symbolize the African hope and that of all peoples around the globe for the enjoyment of freedom, justice and equality.

I congratulate you, Mr. President, on calling for this commemorative summit, and on selecting its theme that reaffirms the values of world peace in all its forms, encourages us to redouble our efforts to attain peace and sustainable development, and reasserts the principles of human rights.

In today’s world, we urgently need effective policy and operational frameworks to address the root causes of conflict, promote good governance, respect for human rights in all its dimensions, eradicate poverty and epidemic; and empower women and youth, with a view to truly honor and meet the human aspiration for sustainable development. We must further join hands and sincerely cooperate in order to defeat terrorism and fight the scourge of extremism, racism, discrimination, sectarianism and intolerance.

From this platform, I would like to reaffirm Egypt’s support for the efforts leading to strengthening the role of the United Nations in promoting an integrated approach to meeting these aspirations. The organization’s effectiveness, efficiency and credibility depend on its ability to adopt and implement such approach in order to attain the goals and purposes of its Charter in the maintenance of international peace and security, and to preserve the values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect. These are the values that characterize the legacy of Nelson Mandela and serve as a shining light for multilateralism.

Thank you.