Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appealed to the members of the United Nations’ General Assembly to support Egypt’s aspiration to win a seat within the United Nations’ Security Council.
In his speech at the UN General Assembly’s 69th session, Egypt’s president said that Egypt was one of the founders of the United Nations and continues to uphold its core principles. He added that joining the Security Council, Egypt will look out for the interest of the developing countries, especially the African ones.
Egypt has not been a member in the Security Council for the past 14 years. The last membership Egypt held on to was in 1997, marking its fourth time as a non-permanent member.
The Security Council is made up of five permanent states – the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France – and 10 non-permanent member-states with a two-year term.
In his speech, Sisi added that “firm action is needed against Libyan extremists”, and that the for the violence in Libya to stop, the international community should effectively stop the arms smuggling into the country. Sisi also said that Egypt supports the aspirations and rights of the Syrian people, adding that he believes a political solution to the crisis is possible.
The president ended his speech by saying that “after two revolutions, Egyptian people are what inspires Egypt’s domestic and foreign political affairs,” and that Egypt would always remain the beacon of moderate Islam in the world. Closing off, Sisi said, “long live Egypt” which the Egyptian delegation reverberated more than once.
Sisi embarked on a trip to the US on Sunday, his first since he was elected president in June.
According to Aswat Masriya, the United States Department of State invited Sisi to meet with US President Barack Obama on Thursday during the former's visit to New York.
