site.btaDeputy Foreign Minister Attends Gaza Conference in Egypt

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Anguelieva participated in the Ministerial Conference “A Year Since the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza: Urgent Needs, Lasting Solutions” held in Cairo, Egypt, on December 2, 2024, the press centre of the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

The conference was held under the auspices of the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with the main focus on providing humanitarian assistance and early reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Delegations from more than 90 countries, international and non-governmental organizations participated in the event. Dr. Muhammad Mustafa, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of the Palestine Refugee Relief Agency (UNRWA), and Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, delivered opening remarks.

In her speech, Deputy Minister Anguelieva stressed that Bulgaria remains committed to international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. She talked about Bulgaria’s financial contribution to the activities of the World Health Organization, the Egyptian Red Crescent and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization. Anguelieva also said Bulgaria is ready to provide additional humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population through a voluntary contribution to the WHO by the end of the year, and additional financial contributions to humanitarian organizations working in Gaza are foreseen for 2025.

The Bulgarian diplomat pointed out that humanitarian assistance should be seen only as a means of emergency relief and not as a sustainable solution to the problem. In this sense, Bulgaria remains actively committed to promoting all international initiatives and efforts that lead to the establishment of lasting peace, security and stability in the region.

Deputy Foreign Minister Anguelieva reiterated Bulgaria’s position that a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through negotiations leading to the establishment of an independent and democratic Palestinian state living in peace, security and mutual recognition with Israel.