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

On the occasion of the official visit to Austria of 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 the 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 Foreign Minister of Egypt. Egypt, bordering conflict ridden and war-torn countries such as Sudan, Libya, Israel and Gaza/ Palestine, has been one of the most important actors in the Middle East and North Africa. As a country with a still holding peace treaty with Israel, Egypt has long played a central role in regional affairs and in attempts to foster stability and political dialogue.  In the aftermath 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 aiming at reducing tensions and facilitating dialogue among parties.

Given the fragility of ceasefires and “peace deals”, a robust strategy of regional stabilization, 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 organizations; she is also member of the African Union (AU) and also host of the League of Arab States (LAS) in Cairo that is – again – under the leadership by an Egyptian diplomat serving as Secretary General.

In the light of all these challenges, the following topics will be discussed: How can sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East and in Africa be achieved under conditions of continuing geopolitical uncertainty? What forms of international cooperation will be required to support these efforts? What are the expectations of Egypt from Europe in general and from Austria in particular given the latter’s seat in the Security Council of the United Nations 2027 and 2028? Where can Egypt and Austria cooperate more successfully in order to implement the Austria Africa Strategy adopted by the Austrian government on 3^rd of 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 in Brussels and Berlin. Dr. Abdelatty holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Cairo University.

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