The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated in a statement that during the meeting, Abdel Aati reaffirmed Egypt’s consistent position on the necessity of maintaining Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, supporting national state institutions to ensure the full restoration of its sovereignty over its territories, and preserving the resources of the brotherly Syrian people. He pointed out that the political process involving all components of the Syrian people is a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable stability.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of continued efforts, asserting that Egypt views Syria’s recovery and its natural role within its Arab and regional surroundings as a primary goal that enhances Arab national security. Abdel Aati reiterated his country’s rejection of what he described as the “repeated Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty,” warning of the dangers of attempts to exploit the current situation to justify foreign interventions.
The Foreign Minister affirmed that Egypt continues in its regional and international communications to emphasize the need to respect Syria’s unity and full sovereignty and reject any attempts to compromise its security. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced in an official statement last Wednesday that “one million Syrian refugees have returned to their homeland during the past nine months since the departure of Bashar al-Assad’s government on December 8, 2024.”
The Commission described these numbers as reflecting great hopes among Syrians for a new beginning, but at the same time stressed that returnees face significant challenges, the most prominent of which are the destruction of infrastructure, lack of basic services, and limited employment opportunities, in addition to the ongoing state of security instability in some areas. The statement quoted the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, as saying: “The weakest among them are still in urgent need of protection and assistance.”
