UN chief embarks on 'Ramadan solidarity trip' to Egypt, Jordan

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) — The UN on Friday announced Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' annual "solidarity trip" to Egypt and Jordan marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"In a few hours, the Secretary-General will arrive in Cairo, Egypt. He will embark on his annual Ramadan solidarity trip, which comes this year in turbulent times, with the conflict in Gaza," deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference.

Noting that Guterres would be visiting the northern Sinai Peninsula and the Rafah border with the Gaza Strip, Haq said the UN chief would meet with humanitarian aid workers.

Haq added that Guterres will have a Ramadan iftar dinner in Cairo with refugees from Sudan and also meet with Egyptian officials.

He further mentioned that Guterres will visit the facilities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during his visit to Jordan.

"He will also be having a Ramadan iftar with Palestine refugees and UN staff in the Jordanian capital," Haq said, adding that "the Secretary-General is expected to hold meetings with Jordanian officials" in Amman.

It is a tradition for Guterres to visit a Muslim country every year during Ramadan. Last year, the Secretary-General visited Somalia as part of this tradition.