Egypt is increasing its influence in the region through hosting key peace summits. It helped organize the meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh that led to the Gaza deal. Egypt is also supposed to host US President Donald Trump on October 13 with representatives of over 20 countries. Egypt, Turkey, Qatar and others are already getting praise for their roles in ending the Gaza war.
Egypt’s Al-Ahram reported on October 12, “Leaders from more than 20 countries are expected to attend the meeting. In a statement, the presidency said the summit aims to end the war on the Gaza Strip, strengthen efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and open a new phase for regional security and stability.”
It added, “the meeting reflects Trump’s declared vision for achieving peace in the region and his ongoing efforts to resolve conflicts around the world. Earlier on Saturday, the Elysée announced that French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday to support the Gaza ceasefire deal and hold talks on the next phase of its implementation.”
Indonesia has praised the countries involved in the peace deal. “Indonesia lauded the role of Turkey, the US, Egypt, and Qatar on the Gaza ceasefire, while pledging to “participate actively” in supporting the reconstruction process in Gaza,” a report at Turkey’s Anadolu said.
'Seize this momentum to establish a Palestinian state'
“Indonesia expresses its appreciation for the mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, and underscores the importance of implementing all provisions of the ceasefire agreement in good faith,” an Indonesian Foreign Ministry statement said on Friday. Indonesia said countries should “seize this momentum to resume the peace process in Palestine based on the two-state solution and to realize the establishment of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international law.”
Arab News reported that “US President Donald Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will chair the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian presidency said on Saturday.”
The meeting will take place on Monday afternoon, “with the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries,” it confirmed. The goal is to push for regional stability.
“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he will attend, as will Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, and Pedro Sanchez of Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron has also confirmed his attendance,” Arab News noted.
Meanwhile, a report at Axios also indicates that more than 20 countries will attend the summit in Egypt on October 13. Countries invited, it said, are “the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Spain, Japan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Hungary, India, El Salvador, Cyprus, Greece, Bahrain, Kuwait, Canada, and Iran.” It is not clear whether Iran will participate.
The overall perception is that Egypt is now increasing its influence and has a broader role to play. This secures its historical role in the region. Historically, Egypt has been one of the main centers of power in the Arab world. Cairo is an important cultural center. However, in recent years, the influence of Egypt has been less felt. Now, Cairo appears ready to return to its position as the host of other nations and a country that pushes for stability and peace.
s and a country that pushes for stability and peace.