Egypt, Japan Hold Inaugural Round of Bilateral Dialogue on Int'l Legal Affairs

Egypt and Japan convened the first round of their bilateral dialogue on international legal affairs this week, hosted at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo.

The talks brought together senior legal officials from both nations, aiming to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation on pressing global legal challenges. 

The Japanese delegation was led by Mr. Kazuhiko Nakamura, Legal Advisor at the International Legal Affairs Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representing Egypt was Ambassador Hatem Abdel Qader, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Legal Affairs and Treaties.

The closed-door session focused on exchanging perspectives on a range of contemporary legal and political issues. Chief among them was the ongoing war in Gaza, with the Egyptian side outlining its legal stance on the conflict, emphasizing Israel’s obligations as an occupying power under the four Geneva Conventions of international humanitarian law.

Ambassador Abdel Qader underscored the legal violations committed in the conflict, calling attention to the urgent need for accountability and adherence to international law. “The international community must not turn a blind eye to the breaches occurring in Gaza,” he stated, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions.

The dialogue also delved into the legal dimensions governing international rivers, where Egypt reiterated its long-standing position on the rights and responsibilities of upstream states. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a persistent flashpoint in Nile Basin geopolitics, was discussed as a key case study.

Egypt has consistently argued that upstream projects must not harm downstream nations and must adhere to principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, as enshrined in international water law. "We are not against development," said an Egyptian legal expert involved in the talks, "but development cannot come at the cost of legal obligations and the livelihoods of millions."

In turn, Nakamura elaborated on Japan’s approach to the application of international maritime law , an area of strategic importance for Tokyo amid growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. He also shared key outcomes from Japan-hosted legal forums, including the Tokyo International Law Seminar (TILA) and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held last August in Yokohama.

The two sides also addressed the legal implications of climate change, touching on the anticipated advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding state responsibilities. Discussions extended into the rapidly evolving domain of cyber law, as well as global efforts to uphold the rule of law at the international level.