Regarding the situation in Palestinian territories, Dumas noted that Egypt has played the role of a "mediator" in recent years, applauding Egypt's endeavors in this regard.
Canada's Ambassador to Egypt, Louis Dumas, has described the current situation in Gaza as "dismal and distressing," while commending Egypt's significant role in promoting stability and peace in the Middle East. In an interview with the Middle East News Agency on Friday, the Canadian ambassador emphasized the need to acknowledge Egypt's continuous efforts to establish peace in the region.
Regarding the situation in Palestinian territories, Dumas noted that Egypt has played the role of a "mediator" in recent years, applauding Egypt's endeavors in this regard.
Addressing the close coordination between Egypt and Canada on regional and international issues, particularly in the context of the repercussions of the conflict in Ukraine and the ongoing military escalation in Gaza, Canada's Ambassador in Cairo referred to the participation of Canadian Foreign and International Development Ministers in the Cairo Peace Summit organized by Egypt at the request of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in light of the military escalation in Gaza.
Ambassador Dumas added that his country highly values the invitation to the Cairo Peace Summit, expressing deep concern about the situation in Gaza. Canada is home to a significant Arab and Arabic-speaking population, including a large Palestinian community.
Therefore, they closely monitor the situation and call for dialogue among the parties to reach an understanding and vision for the desired direction.
The Canadian Ambassador in Cairo recognized the deep-rooted nature of the current conflict and stressed the necessity of discussions and dialogues among the various parties.
When asked about Canada's potential role in a post-Gaza war scenario to restart negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides and advance the peace process, Ambassador Louis Dumas emphasized that Canada can play a collaborative role, given its commitment to promoting peace and understanding. He also pointed out that Egypt plays a crucial role, suggesting potential coordination between the two countries to support Egypt's efforts in facilitating dialogue among different nations.
Regarding the aid provided by Canada to Gaza during the ongoing escalation in the region, Dumas mentioned that Canada has pledged approximately ten million dollars in humanitarian assistance for Gaza. He also highlighted that during his visit to Egypt for the Cairo Peace Summit, Canada's Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, announced additional aid of fifty million dollars. As a result, Canadian assistance to Gaza totals nearly sixty million dollars.
In terms of the Egypt-Canada political relations, especially in light of mutual visits, the Canadian Ambassador described the relations between the two countries as "excellent." He expressed his satisfaction with the significant progress witnessed in recent years in various political, economic, and social fields.
Dumas noted that mutual visits between Egypt and Canada had temporarily halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Canada, as a friendly country, provided Egypt with more than one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
He further emphasized that the post-COVID phase saw a surge in ministerial-level exchanges, with Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen visiting Egypt and participating in the Cairo Peace Summit last month. Moreover, Canada's former Minister of International Development visited Egypt twice, and the Minister of Sport and Environment participated in the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh.
Regarding economic cooperation between Egypt and Canada, the Canadian Ambassador affirmed that the trade partnership between the two countries is highly distinguished, with Egypt being Canada's top trading partner in the African continent. He highlighted that the bilateral trade between the two nations has reached approximately 1.8 billion dollars.
