Egypt, Brazil to Advocate for Southern Countries' Interests

Egyptian and Brazilian presidents stressed the urgency of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian and Brazilian presidents stressed the urgency of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Brazil to Advocate for Southern Countries' Interests

Egyptian and Brazilian presidents stressed the urgency of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian and Brazilian presidents stressed the urgency of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. (Egyptian Presidency)

An Egyptian-Brazilian summit convened in Cairo on Thursday to deliberate on mutual coordination within international spheres, focusing on collaborative efforts to reform the global governance framework for equitable representation of Southern countries' interests.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi received his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Al Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo.
Egypt's presidential spokesman, Ahmad Fahmy, said that the talks tackled bilateral ties, Brazil’s presiding over G20 this year, and Egypt's invitation as a guest to the group's meetings.
Lula was on an official state visit to Cairo, celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It was his second visit to Egypt, the first having been in 2003.
They witnessed the signing of several agreements in sciences, technology, and agriculture.
“We have agreed to bolster our bilateral relations in all political, economic, industrial, agricultural, and cultural fields,” Sisi said during a joint press conference with his Brazilian counterpart.
Both sides, he added, agreed to set up a joint committee to coordinate the areas and goals of their bilateral ties.
Strategic Partnership
After talks with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo, the Brazilian President said he wanted relations between the two countries to be elevated to a “strategic partnership.”
Lula said the admission of Egypt as a member of BRICS represents a milestone in effective collaboration between emerging economies.
He said Egypt and Brazil will work on "reforming international governance and building peace" in the framework of BRICS and urged for a multilateral world with fair development opportunities for developing states.
In January, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, UAE, and Ethiopia joined the BRICS, comprising Russia, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa.
Gaza
Meanwhile, the Brazilian President urged the UN to reach a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip.
Lula da Silva said the UN lacks sufficient power to stop the war in Gaza, noting that "Israel has violated all resolutions, laws, and international norms in its aggression against the strip."
Lula said there would not be peace without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to remarks provided to the Middle East News Agency, Mai Taha Khalil, Egypt's Ambassador to Brazil, asserted that this visit signifies Brazil's acknowledgment of Egypt's endeavors towards fostering stability and security in the Arab and African regions.
The Egyptian ambassador highlighted Brazil's recognition of Egyptian mediation efforts in facilitating a ceasefire in the Strip and securing the release of hostages.

 

 



Five ISIS Bombs Found Hidden in Iconic Mosul Mosque in Iraq

(FILES) This picture taken on January 18, 2022 shows renovations at the al-Nuri mosque in the old town of Iraq's northern city Mosul. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP)
(FILES) This picture taken on January 18, 2022 shows renovations at the al-Nuri mosque in the old town of Iraq's northern city Mosul. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP)
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Five ISIS Bombs Found Hidden in Iconic Mosul Mosque in Iraq

(FILES) This picture taken on January 18, 2022 shows renovations at the al-Nuri mosque in the old town of Iraq's northern city Mosul. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP)
(FILES) This picture taken on January 18, 2022 shows renovations at the al-Nuri mosque in the old town of Iraq's northern city Mosul. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP)

A United Nations agency said it has discovered five bombs in a wall of Mosul's iconic Al-Nuri mosque, planted years ago by ISIS militants, during restoration work in the northern Iraqi city.

Five "large-scale explosive devices, designed to trigger a massive destruction of the site," were found in the southern wall of the prayer hall on Tuesday by the UNESCO team working at the site, a representative for the agency told AFP late Friday.

Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and the adjacent leaning minaret nicknamed Al-Hadba or the "hunchback", which dates from the 12th century, were destroyed during the battle to retake the city from ISIS.

Iraq's army accused ISIS, which occupied Mosul for three years, of planting explosives at the site and blowing it up.

UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, has been working to restore the mosque and other architectural heritage sites in the city, much of it reduced to rubble in the battle to retake it in 2017.

"The Iraqi armed forces immediately secured the area and the situation is now fully under control," UNESCO added.

One bomb was removed, but four other 1.5-kilogram devices "remain connected to each other" and are expected to be cleared in the coming days, it said.

"These explosive devices were hidden inside a wall, which was specially rebuilt around them: it explains why they could not be discovered when the site was cleared by Iraqi forces" in 2020, the agency said.

Iraqi General Tahseen al-Khafaji, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command of various Iraqi forces, confirmed the discovery of "several explosive devices from ISIS militants in Al-Nuri mosque."

He said provincial deminers requested help from the Defense Ministry in Baghdad to defuse the remaining munitions because of their "complex manufacturing".

Construction work has been suspended at the site until the bombs are removed.

It was from Al-Nuri mosque that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the then-leader of ISIS, proclaimed the establishment of the group's "caliphate" in July 2014.