CEOSS’ president concludes the Egyptian-American dialogue tour in New York and Washington with a delegation of Egyptian civil society leaders. The United Nations and Congress were the most important stops on the Egyptian-American dialogue tour for the Evangelical delegation. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, support for investment in Egypt, human rights, and bridge-building were the key issues on the agenda of the Egyptian-American dialogue.
Dr. Reverend Andrea Zaki, the CEOSS’ president, stated:
- Egypt’s achievements in the field of religious freedoms over the past ten years are historic.
- The Egyptian state has made significant and effective efforts in combating terrorism.
- We invite the American society to experience investment and tourism in Egypt.
American experts and leaders advised the Egyptian delegation on the challenges facing American society, including internal terrorism threats such as the new Nazism, white supremacy, and anti-other movements.
The Evangelical delegation conveyed to American society that Egypt has witnessed a qualitative leap in the field of human rights and hosts nine million refugees and immigrants who enjoy all rights and services without discrimination.
Dr. Reverend Andrea Zaki, the CEOSS’ president in Egypt and the head of the Evangelical Coptic Authority, concluded the Egyptian-American dialogue tour in New York and Washington with a delegation of Egyptian civil society leaders. The delegation included Deputy Tarek Radwan, the head of the Human Rights Committee in the House of Representatives; Ambassador Dr. Mahmoud Karem, Deputy Chairman of the National Council for Human Rights; Senator Mahmoud Muslim, the head of the Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, and Media Committee in the Senate; Dr. Ibrahim Najm, the advisor to the Grand Mufti of Egypt and the Secretary-General of the International Fatwa Authority; and Mrs. Samira Luca, the Director of the Culture Dialogue Forum at the Evangelical Authority and a member of the National Council for Human Rights. This tour was organized by the Culture Dialogue Forum at the Evangelical Coptic Authority in partnership with civil institutions and churches in the United States.
During the tour, the Egyptian delegation met with several influential figures in American society. The tour began at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where the delegation participated in a seminar led by Dr. Nehal Saad, the Director of the Alliance of Civilizations Center. The delegation also met with Mr. Miguel Moratinos, the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Alliance of Civilizations, in the presence of Ambassador Majed Abdel Fattah, the head of the Arab League mission in New York, as well as other public figures and representatives of American churches within the United States. Moratinos praised Egypt’s achievements in the field of religious freedoms over the past ten years and emphasized the importance of Egypt’s role in combating terrorism.
During their visit to Washington, D.C., the Egyptian delegation met with several American leaders, including Ambassador Moataz Zahran, Egypt’s Ambassador to Washington. They discussed various topics, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, encouraging American businesses and major corporations to invest directly in Egypt, promoting tourism, and building bridges between peoples. The delegation also met with Ambassador Rashad Hussein, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and Mr. Harris, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, to discuss the challenges Egypt has faced since 2011, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule and the June 30th Revolution, as well as Egypt’s role in countering terrorism and extremist groups. The meeting with Mr. Harris highlighted the depth of relations between Egypt and the United States, emphasizing the importance of Egypt’s role in promoting peace in Sudan and Gaza.
The Egyptian delegation also had meetings with several members of Congress, including Rep. Malliotakis Cannon, Rep. Richard McCormick of Georgia, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, and Rep. Debbie Lesko. The discussions focused on a wide range of topics, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and encouraging American businesses to invest in Egypt, similar to the cooperation with major European companies like Siemens. They also discussed the promotion of tourism in Egypt. Rep. Debbie Lesko, who recently visited Luxor, Aswan, and the Western Desert, expressed her admiration for Egypt’s progress in various fields and its programs for studying in the United States, which are supported by some Egyptian businessmen. She commended President Sisi and listened to an extensive presentation about various topics, including the Renaissance Dam issue.
The Egyptian delegation also highlighted Egypt’s achievements in the areas of citizenship, combating hate speech, and non-discrimination, especially in empowering women and protecting religious freedoms and the rights of people with disabilities. They emphasized that Egypt hosts nine million refugees and migrants who enjoy all rights and services without discrimination, and that the state incurs significant expenses in this regard, especially in light of the current situation on the Sudanese border.
Moreover, the delegation stressed that Egypt, as the gift of the Nile, and the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam require direct diplomatic intervention from the United States at the highest level. The Nile is a source of life for 11 countries and should not be monopolized by any party. Egypt is keen on a peaceful resolution to the crisis, and it expects the United States to intervene, as food security is closely linked to water security, and water is a fundamental right to life.
