Lead:
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi attended the closed-door session of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday, marking Egypt's participation in the multilateral grouping. Simultaneously, Egypt issued formal condemnation of drone attacks targeting oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh and Medina regions, reaffirming regional solidarity and security commitments.
Details:
Multiple Egyptian parliamentary figures characterized the president's attendance at the BRICS summit as reflecting Egypt's expanding international standing and strategic partnerships. Deputy Ahmad Jubili emphasized that participation highlights Egypt's growing regional position. Dr. Hisham Mostafa Abdel Aziz, chairman of the Reform and Renaissance Party, stated that the summit reflects expanding Egyptian presence and diversification of partnerships. Parliamentarian Walaa Al-Sabban noted that Egyptian engagement within BRICS aims to convert partnerships into tangible investments benefiting the national economy.
Regarding the security dimension, Egypt condemned "in the strongest terms" the attacks on the East-West oil pipeline serving Saudi Arabia. The official position, articulated through state channels, affirmed that Egypt stands fully with Saudi Arabia against any actions threatening the kingdom's security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. This coordinated regional response occurred as multiple Arab states—including Bahrain, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council—similarly issued formal condemnations of the drone strikes originating from Iraqi territory.
On the sidelines of the BRICS gathering, President Al-Sisi held substantive talks with Russian President Vladimir Ittya regarding shared projects, according to footage released by the state information authority. The two leaders discussed priorities including de-escalation and return to negotiation regarding Iranian tensions, Sudan's stability as a "red line" for Egypt, achievement of a just Palestinian settlement, and removal of obstacles to joint infrastructure initiatives. Al-Sisi emphasized that Palestinian reconciliation must rest on the two-state solution framework and that humanitarian assistance must reach Gaza.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Aati held separate telephone consultations with Emirati and Algerian counterparts addressing broader regional developments, signaling coordinated diplomatic positioning across multiple bilateral channels.
Watch For:
Outcomes of multilateral discussions at the BRICS summit concluding later this weekend, particularly Egypt's role in potential consensus on global economic governance.
Trajectory of Saudi-Iraq relations following the pipeline incident and Iraq's internal security response, including the isolation of Maysan operations command.
Whether Egyptian-Russian partnership discussions yield formal agreements on energy, nuclear, or infrastructure cooperation.