CAIRO, March 24 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff held a phone call on Monday as part of their regular communication to discuss Egypt-US distinguished and strategic relations, and exchange views and assessments as regards developments in the Gaza Strip.

The phone call touched on joint efforts made by Egypt, the United States and Qatar to release hostages, achieve calm, de-escalate the situation, as well as consolidate and implement the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The two sides emphasized the need to continue working together to achieve security, peace, and stability in the Middle East in a way that ensures that the region is free of conflict and war, as well as to embody the US administration's vision for ending more than 70 years of conflict in the region.

Meanwhile, Abdelatty briefed the US official on the comprehensive development process in Egypt under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and the numerous achievements made in recent years in light of positive overall indicators of the Egyptian economy, which have been praised by various international institutions, most notably the International Monetary Fund.

Meanwhile, Witkoff commended close relations between the two friendly countries, highlighting the important and pivotal role played by Egypt in achieving security, peace, and stability in the region.

He also praised Egypt’s role, along with Qatar, in trying to hammer out a solution that guarantees the release of hostages and consolidates the ceasefire in Gaza. (MENA)

I S N/M N E