Sisi: Famine Threat Limits Countries' Ability to Develop

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egyptian Presidency)
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Sisi: Famine Threat Limits Countries' Ability to Develop

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stressed that the threat of famine limits the ability of countries and governments to fully implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking at the "UN Food Systems Summit" via videoconference, Sisi said that the summit comes at a delicate and pivotal moment for the whole world.

He indicated that creating sustainable food systems that achieve food security for societies is a top priority, particularly amid the exacerbation of climate change and the rise in temperatures and water scarcity.

Egypt has hence realized early that this summit represents a favorable opportunity for coming up with ideas and solutions to these challenges, said Sisi, adding that it can also promote international cooperation and mobilize the necessary funds.

Cairo launched a comprehensive national dialogue in December 2020, including all concerned government institutions, representatives of the private sector, and civil society organizations.

"As a result, they agreed to adopt a national document to transform into a healthy and sustainable food system."

Egypt also joined the global "School Meals Coalition," believing in the importance of providing healthy food for all students and the centrality of ensuring that international partnerships contribute to achieving this goal.

"Egypt has hence become one of the top countries have moved forward in implementing this program in the region," asserted Sisi.

At a regional level, the Egyptian president has engaged in formulating a unified African position that reflects the priorities of the peoples of the continent and the particularities of their food security challenges during the summit.

"We intend to continue working with our African brothers to face these challenges, in an effort to expedite the implementation of the African Union'sUnion's Agenda 2063," he added.

The president asserted that success today depends on the ability to come up with results that contribute to formulating a feasible, sustainable and ambitious food system – one that considers each country's peculiarities and priorities without imposing specific visions or models.

Results should also provide the necessary support through creative financing mechanisms and practical international cooperation that brings countries together with the UN parties and development partners.

He concluded his speech by saying that effective and flexible follow-up mechanisms shall be devised nationally and internationally in maintaining "our desired goals and in fulfillment of our legitimate aspirations to meet the needs of our peoples."



Assad Intelligence Archive Sparks Controversy in Iraq

Archive image of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Damascus (X) 
Archive image of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Damascus (X) 
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Assad Intelligence Archive Sparks Controversy in Iraq

Archive image of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Damascus (X) 
Archive image of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Damascus (X) 

A recent visit to Damascus by Izzat al-Shabandar, the special envoy of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has stirred political tensions in Baghdad amid speculation that he was handed sensitive intelligence files from the Syrian regime.

The trip, which included a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has drawn criticism from within Iraq’s Coordination Framework, with some figures accusing the prime minister of using the visit to obtain the so-called “Assad intelligence archive” for political leverage ahead of parliamentary elections set for November.

The archive is believed to contain compromising material on Iraqi political and paramilitary figures, some of whom opposed Saddam Hussein’s regime or supported Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war. Reports suggest that such information could be used in electoral rivalries.

Al-Sudani’s coalition, the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, has denied any such intentions. Coalition member Abdulhadi al-Saadaoui dismissed the rumors, stating: “The prime minister has no need for such tactics, especially given his broad popularity and growing support across Iraq.”

Since Assad’s fall in late 2024, speculation has grown around the fate of Syria’s intelligence files. Critics, including MP Youssef al-Kilabi, claim they could be exploited to damage opponents. Al-Kilabi alleged in a post on X that the archive had been handed to an Iraqi guest by former Syrian leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani.

Shabandar responded in a post of his own, saying he respected those who offered reasoned criticism, but dismissed what he called “electronic flies and stray dogs barking for their masters,” suggesting political motives behind the backlash.