Diplomat stresses Egypt's role to contain African conflicts

Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdy Loza said that the relations between Egypt and other African states are not limited to the common interests and the River Nile. He added that the Egyptian government is keen to support the Great Lake states, underlining the Egyptian efforts to support the peace keeping process in Central African State and Congo.

The Egyptian diplomat said, in an interview with "Arabs Today", "When we talk about the River Nile, we cannot forget the Great Lake region and the downstream countries." He stressed that the Egyptian government was keen to strengthen relations with the countries of the region and to support them.

He praised the Egyptian efforts to resolve the conflicts witnessed in Africa, saying that the government intensified its efforts to keep the peace and stability in the region. He added that the Egyptian government managed to prevent military confrontations and to ease tensions between the African states.

He stressed that the Egyptian government promotes the concept of the state in the different African states, saying that they provide support for the states institutions and work to push forward the economic growth in these countries.

He refused the claims over the Egyptian role in South Sudan crisis, saying that they know the parties that work to drive a wedge between Egypt and other African states. He added, "We do not give priority to such claims, while we resume working to resolve the conflicts."