President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi will award the Collar of the Nile, Egypt’s highest state honour, to U.S. President Donald Trump for what the Egyptian presidency described as his “significant contributions to promoting peace, resolving conflicts, and his pivotal role in ending the war in Gaza,” the presidency’s spokesperson said today.
The announcement comes as Sharm El-Sheikh prepares to host over 20 heads of state and prime ministers for the Summit for Peace, co-chaired by Al-Sisi and Trump. The Red Sea city has once again become a focal point for international diplomacy, following the Gaza ceasefire that took effect on Friday after four days of intense negotiations between Israeli and Hamas delegations.
The Collar of the Nile, sometimes referred to as the Order of the Nile, is Egypt’s most prestigious decoration, symbolizing the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt through the life-giving Nile River. Made of gold and adorned with Pharaonic motifs and precious stones, it is traditionally awarded by presidential decree to heads of state and figures whose efforts have offered exceptional service to Egypt or humanity.
Past recipients include Nobel laureates Ahmed Zewail, Mohamed ElBaradei, and writer Naguib Mahfouz, as well as heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub and late President Anwar El-Sadat.
On the international front, honourees have included Queen Elizabeth II, King Hussein of Jordan, Emperor Haile Selassie, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who received the honour in June 2023.
Trump’s award, the Egyptian Presidency says, comes in recognition of his role in brokering the U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan, mediated by Egypt and Qatar in Sharm El-Sheikh. The 20-point roadmap includes a comprehensive ceasefire, the release of captives, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, followed by Gaza’s reconstruction and the establishment of a transitional governance authority under international supervision.
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