Sisi, Bahraini King Discuss GERD, Bilateral Relations

On Thursday, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Sharm El-Sheikh to discuss the latest developments regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) following a UN Security Council presidential statement urging resumption of talks, according to the Egyptian presidency.

During the talks, King Al-Khalifa of Bahrain reiterated his country's support and solidarity with Egypt and Sudan including all efforts to safeguard their legitimate rights and water security in the Nile River as well as all efforts to establish a fair and legally binding agreement concerning the filling and operation policies of the dam in a way that prevents harm and benefit all parties involved in accordance with the rules of the international law.

On Wednesday, the UNSC issued a presidential statement urging Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia to continue the African Union-sponsored talks on the GERD, stressing the need to reach a mutually acceptable binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam within a reasonable time frame.

Aside from the GERD, the Egyptian president and Bahraini king held talks on bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic and investment fields.

During their talks, El-Sisi and Al-Khalifa agreed to boost Egyptian-Bahraini coordination to protect Arab national security and boosts their capabilities in facing challenges and threats in the region.