Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Egypt urges BRICS action on Gaza crisis at Rio summit
Rio de Janeiro - Representing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly delivered Egypt’s address at the opening session of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Held on July 6–7, the summit brings together leaders from major emerging economies to discuss global challenges and cooperation.
Madbouly opened by thanking Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for his warm hospitality and commended the efforts of the Brazilian presidency in organizing the summit. He also welcomed Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, who joined the summit for the first time.
The Prime Minister emphasized that this year’s BRICS Summit takes place at a time of “unprecedented, complex, and interlinked” global crises, citing geopolitical tensions, economic setbacks, rising protectionism, increasing debt, climate change, and—above all—the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Highlighting the devastating toll of nearly two years of conflict in the Gaza Strip, Madbouly stated:
“The gravest crisis in our time is the ongoing Israeli war against innocent civilians in Gaza, which has so far resulted in the deaths of over 55,000 Palestinians—two-thirds of whom are women and children—and nearly 125,000 injured.”
He described the crisis as a result of “continued violations of international law and humanitarian standards” by Israel, as well as ongoing settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Madbouly reaffirmed that Egypt—together with Qatar and the United States—has worked tirelessly to broker a ceasefire, including the agreement reached on January 15, which he charged was later violated by Israeli attacks on civilians.
He called for an immediate halt to hostilities, respect for international humanitarian law, and robust protection for civilians, firmly rejecting any attempts to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population of Gaza, stating this would threaten the prospects of a two-state solution and regional peace.
Stressing the urgent need for humanitarian and reconstruction support, the Prime Minister pointed to the Arab-Islamic Plan for Gaza’s early recovery, urging all countries to support the plan and participate in an international conference for Gaza’s reconstruction, to be held when a lasting ceasefire is reached.
Madbouly also remarked on expansions of the conflict into neighboring countries, including “Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and even Iran,” warning that such actions risk regional escalation and broader international insecurity. He advocated for diplomatic solutions to conflicts.
Turning to development, Madbouly underscored the vital role BRICS nations can play in today’s world. He called for accelerating collaboration in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence.
He stressed the importance of enhanced economic, financial, and monetary cooperation—particularly between central banks—and advancing local currency settlements in line with BRICS’ cross-border payment initiatives.
Madbouly asserted that “affordable financing and technology transfer for developing countries are essential for achieving sustainable development and eradicating poverty,” urging reform of the global financial system and international debt architecture to better serve the needs of the Global South.
Concluding, Egypt’s Prime Minister expressed hope that the true impact of BRICS would lie in the group’s “capacity to create space and vision for our shared interests, ultimately fulfilling the hopes of our peoples for a more prosperous future.”