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Sisi Calls For Regional, International Collective Action to Confront Hate Speech

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (Photo: Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (Photo: Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson)
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Sisi Calls For Regional, International Collective Action to Confront Hate Speech

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (Photo: Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (Photo: Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson)

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for a collective action at the regional and international levels to confront hate speech and extremism with the participation of various religious institutions to spread the values of peace.

Sisi’s comments came on Monday during a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He also discussed with his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron “regional issues and efforts to confront terrorism.”

Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radhi said that Macron contacted Sisi to discuss “common stances regarding the fight against terrorism and extremism… and the recent terrorist attacks in France.”

Sisi emphasized “the necessity to differentiate between the Islamic religion, which calls for promoting peace, tolerance and renouncing violence, and terrorist acts committed by those who claim to belong to Islam and which are strongly condemned.”

He continued: “There is a need to focus on spreading the values of coexistence between the followers of different religions, through dialogue, understanding and mutual respect.”

Also on Monday, Sisi held a video conference with Merkel, with whom he discussed strategic bilateral relations and the means to confront extremist ideology and combat terrorism, in light of the recent attacks in a number of European countries.

According to the Egyptian presidential spokesman, Sisi stressed that the religious values had nothing to do with acts of extremism and terrorism.

He pointed to “the importance of formulating a collective action at the regional and international level to confront hate speech and extremism, with the participation of various religious institutions from all sides, with the aim of spreading the values of peace and consolidating the foundations of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all peoples.”

The two officials also discussed the latest developments concerning Libya.

In this regard, Radhi said the German Chancellor praised Cairo’s endeavor to settle the Libyan crisis and Sisi’s personal efforts in this context, which would “enhance the political process and consolidate Egypt’s role as a pillar of security and stability in its regional environment and the Middle East region.”

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Report: Imports Ongoing to Hodeidah Following Israeli Attacks

Ships are docked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Ships are docked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
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Report: Imports Ongoing to Hodeidah Following Israeli Attacks

Ships are docked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen July 31, 2024. (Reuters)
Ships are docked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen July 31, 2024. (Reuters)

Food imports are ongoing to Houthi-controlled areas following the recent Israeli attacks on vital infrastructure and facilities at the Ras Isa and Hodeidah ports in Yemen, an international report revealed.
According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), early analysis indicates an overall low concern for the potential for meaningful disruptions to food and fuel import volumes.
On September 29, Israel targeted vital infrastructure and facilities in Hodeidah for the second time in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Israel. The attacks involved oil tanks at the Ras Isa port (north of the western city of Hodeidah), the port of Hodeidah (the target of the first attack in July), and the governorate’s two main power stations.
According to officials, the airstrikes killed five civilians and wounded 57.
FEWS said the damage to power stations resulted in power outages, including in Hodeidah and parts of Sanaa. It noted that as of the end of September, the power stations remained non-operational. Ras al-Khuthayb power station (the largest) reportedly incurred the most damage, with boilers destroyed by the bombing.
The Network affirmed that three of four oil tanks in Ras Isa were damaged, while Houthis officials reported that the fuel tanks had been recently emptied in anticipation of Israeli strikes.
FEWS also said significant damage at Hodeidah port has not been reported.
Houthi officials report that impacts of the strikes were insignificant.
According to available information, food and fuel imports are ongoing following the attacks. FEWS said it continues to triangulate available data and information sources in the aftermath of the strike and will provide an updated analysis of any expected impacts on acute food insecurity in the forthcoming October Food Security Outlook report.
However, it said, early analysis indicates overall low concern for the potential for meaningful disruptions to food and fuel import volumes.
The report also showed that given poor purchasing capacity and the continued pause of WFP-provided humanitarian food assistance in areas controlled by the Houthi-based authorities, millions of poor households are likely to continue to face food consumption gaps across Yemen, with particular concern for internally displaced persons (IDPs), flood-affected households, and poor households that depend on daily wage opportunities.
FEWS said that across the country, Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes are expected to persist through January 2025, with some Houthi-controlled governorates likely to continue facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes amid the food assistance pause and the impacts of recent devastating flooding.
“Above-average rainfall in July and August contributed to favorable growing conditions for crops and rangeland resources (pasture and water for livestock) in many areas,” the FEWS report said.
However, it added, severe flooding has negatively impacted crop production in affected areas. According to a rapid assessment conducted by FAO in August, around 99,000 hectares (ha) of farmland have been impacted.
The vast majority of this impacted farmland was in Hodeidah (77,362 ha) and Hajjah (20,717 ha), representing approximately 12% and 9%, respectively, of the total farmland.
Meanwhile, around 279,000 sheep and goats were potentially impacted, according to the same FAO assessment.
Hodeidah, Hajjah, and Al Jawf were the most affected, with an estimated 6% of sheep and goats impacted Hodeidah (106, 361), followed by 4% Al Jawf (50,664) and 4% in Hajjah (46,424).
Worst-Affected Households
FEWS said that according to the 2021 Food Security and Livelihoods Assessment, these areas are important livestock suppliers and pastoralism is an important livelihood system, particularly in Al Jawf, where an estimated 20% of households considered livestock to be their primary source of income.
Due to losses of key sources of food and income amid the ongoing assistance pause, some worst-affected households in severely affected areas have likely experienced losses of livestock assets and damage to livelihoods, it noted.
The report also revealed that households worst-affected by flooding in both pastoralist and agropastoral areas are likely unable to meet their minimum food needs in the absence of assistance.
According to the report, September marks the start of the main cereal harvest season in Yemen when poor households experience a seasonal boost in food availability from crop production as well as income from labor opportunities along crop production and marketing chains.