1. Home
  2. Middle East and North Africa
  3. Egypt
  • News

Kofi Annan, in Cairo, discusses regional stability

[Egypt] UN Secretary General Kofi Annan honours Nadia Younes at Ewart Hall in the American University in Cairo. [Date picture taken: 11/08/2005]
Sally Sami/IRIN
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan delivers speech at the American University in Cairo
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Cairo on Monday as part of a four-nation tour of the Middle East and North Africa to discuss regional stability. "We are interested in peace and stability on all tracks," Annan said at a press conference held on Tuesday, following a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit. According to statements from Abul-Gheit, the meeting revolved around the Israel-Palestine “peace process” and the current situation regarding Syria and Lebanon. The latter is of particular importance in light of recently passed UN Security Council resolution 1636, which demands Syrian cooperation in a UN probe of the February assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. In response to questions from reporters, Annan said Syria was willing to fully cooperate with the investigation, headed by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis. "Syria has had a good record in implementing UN resolutions," the Secretary-General noted. Annan asserted that "impunity will not be allowed to stand," but added that military action was not currently under consideration by Security Council members. He added that his meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister had also touched on proposed ideas for UN reform, the current situation in Sudan and rising tension between the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Following the brief press conference, Annan visited Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa at league headquarters in Cairo. It was widely expected that talks between the two would revolve mainly around the Syria issue. During his three-day visit to Egypt, Annan is also scheduled to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif. According to a foreign ministry statement, Annan will also visit a showpiece technology park. Known as the “Smart Village,” the facility is devoted to IT development and home to a number of local and multinational IT and telecommunications companies. Later on Tuesday, Annan was scheduled to deliver a lecture at the American University in Cairo. According to the UN news centre, the lecture will be held in memory of Nadia Younes, a former UN official killed in a 2003 terrorist bombing of the organisation's Baghdad headquarters. On Wednesday, Annan will depart the country and continue his tour of the region, which will includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Pakistan.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join