President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi used his address at the UN General Assembly in New York on 28 September to reassert Egypt’s commitment to fighting terrorism across the region.

“Egypt and the Middle East have been, in recent years, confronted with a danger that requires creating brighter prospects and opportunities for youth,” he said, adding that counter-terrorism efforts had, so far, been defensive.

“Alongside those efforts, world leaders need to channel the energy of youth away from extremists and false ideas, and towards a peaceful future.”

Al-Sisi’s speech, which was heavily focused on security, offered little in terms of tangible actions, especially with regards to the Syrian civil war. He called on Syrian leaders to meet in Cairo to formulate a clear plan for a post-war interim period “in accordance with the Geneva Convention”.

Al-Sisi did not clarify his position on the role of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad’s in a post-war Syria, but called on leaders to help “build a democratic country that would preserve the Syrian state and its institutions, as well as protect its diversity and national identity”.

He also discussed the war in Yemen and defended Egypt’s decision to join Saudi-led forces in their operations against Houthi rebels. “Egypt’s political and military support for Yemen and its government have taken place at Yemen’s request, and stemmed from Egypt’s commitment to preserving Arab national security,” Al-Sisi said.

He went on to say that Egypt has welcomed large numbers of refugees despite the economic burden. “The increasing plight of refugees fleeing from destructive armed conflicts reaffirms the need to work towards resolving these conflicts and confronting the scourge of terrorism, a major aggravating factor,” the president said.

Al-Sisi’s speech, which was heavy on rhetoric, concluded by saying: “Through [its] nomination to a non-permanent seat in the Security Council for the coming two years, Egypt [aspires] to enhance its role in consolidating international peace and security.”