EGYPT, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: PROSPECTS FOR PEACE AND STABILITY, OR NEW CONFLICTS ON THE HORIZON?

On the occasion of the official visit to Austria by H.E. Dr Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt: the Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue would like to provide an opportunity to discuss current developments in the Middle East, the prospects for peace, the future of the region, and Egypt’s role in addressing current regional challenges with the Egyptian Foreign Minister. Egypt, which borders conflict-ridden and war-torn countries such as Sudan, Libya, Israel and Gaza/Palestine, has been one of the most important players in the Middle East and North Africa. As a country that still maintains a peace treaty with Israel, Egypt has long played a central role in regional affairs and in efforts to foster stability and political dialogue.  In the wake of the escalation of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the war in Gaza, and broader regional tensions involving Israel, the United States and Iran, Egypt has continued to pursue diplomatic initiatives and mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions and facilitating dialogue amongst the parties.

Given the fragility of ceasefires and “peace deals”, a robust strategy for regional stabilisation, supported by key regional actors such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and others, together with broader international engagement, appears increasingly necessary. Egypt has traditionally been a strong supporter of multilateralism and an active partner in international organisations; it is also a member of the African Union (AU) and hosts the League of Arab States (LAS) in Cairo, which is – once again – led by an Egyptian diplomat serving as Secretary-General.

In light of all these challenges, the following topics will be discussed: How can sustainable peace and stability be achieved in the Middle East and Africa amidst ongoing geopolitical uncertainty? What forms of international cooperation will be required to support these efforts? What are Egypt’s expectations of Europe in general and of Austria in particular, given Austria’s seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2027 and 2028? In which areas can Egypt and Austria cooperate more effectively to implement the Austria-Africa Strategy adopted by the Austrian government on 3^rd in June 2026?

H.E. Dr Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt since July 2024. A senior career diplomat with more than three decades of experience, he has represented Egypt in several key international capitals and on major foreign policy issues, including as Egypt’s Ambassador to Brussels and Berlin. Dr Abdelatty holds a PhD in International Relations from Cairo University.

Raimund Löw, journalist, historian and author; head of the FALTER Radio podcast; curator and presenter at the Bruno Kreisky Forum. He served as a foreign correspondent in Moscow, Washington, Brussels and Beijing, and also as Head of Foreign Affairs for the ORF’s flagship news programme „ZIB 2“.