President Sisi receives liberated Ethiopian nationals at Cairo airport

Egypt State Information Service

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Thursday 7 May, 2015 was at Cairo International Airport to receive the Ethiopian nationals who were liberated after being held by militants in Libya.

The 27 Ethiopians, the first batch of liberated Ethiopians from Libya, were released through cooperation between the Egyptian and Libyan security agencies.

Attending the meeting at the airport was Ethiopian Ambassador in Cairo Mahmoud Dardir, said Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Ambassador Alaa Youssef.

President Sisi, in press statements, said that Egypt was so much alarmed and sad for the obnoxious murder of innocent Ethiopians in Libya. Therefore, Egypt cooperated with its brothers in Libya and Ethiopia to set free Ethiopians who were living in hardship in Libya, added the President.

The president said that Ethiopia shares no direct borders with Libya that would allow liberating the Ethiopian nationals but its sisterly Egypt has joint borders with Libya. The President, on this score, made reference to his speech before the Ethiopian Parliament regarding popular solidarity between the Egyptian and Ethiopian peoples and that what harms the Ethiopian people will harm the Egyptian people, according to the presidential spokesman.

The President explained that the security apparatus managed to liberate the held Ethiopian nationals who were carried to Egypt ahead of their return safe and sound to their families in Ethiopia, according to the presidential spokesman.

President Sisi asserted that the deteriorating security situation in Libya and the state of instability there is an issue of concern to the international community, added the presidential spokesman, quoting President Sisi as saying that the Libyan State should restore its security and stability depending on the role that could be played by the Libyan army for protecting the citizens and restoring the prestige of the Libyan State.

The President thanked the Egyptian and Libyan security agencies whose efforts led to the release of the Ethiopian nationals. The President also confirmed that the Egyptian security departments are exerting all efforts for fighting terrorism and providing protection to the armless citizens. President Sisi underscored the fact that the Egyptian security agencies this way are not attacking but defending; a mission which is part and parcel of their job.

The President forwarded a message to the international community confirming that Egypt is supporting and backing all efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the region. Also, Egypt is supporting the elected Libyan parliament and national army at a time when it also supports the free will of the Libyan people until Libya restores its stability and security.

In conclusion, the President forwarded a message to the Ethiopian people congratulating them on the safety of their innocent compatriots. The President also confirmed that the peoples of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan are one people and that the brotherly Ethiopian people can safely depend all the time on Egypt which will never spare any effort for extending all support to its brothers.