In an address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on Wednesday, 21 January, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for a renewed commitment to international law and dialogue to resolve global disputes. His remarks came as a counterweight to a number of warnings from other world leaders about the erosion of the post-World War II global order, which refers to global bodies such as the United Nations and the international legal system. Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, el-Sisi emphasized Egypt’s role in fostering stability, even as the forum’s theme, “The Spirit of Dialogue,” highlighted the challenges of a fragmented world. The speech came on the heels of warnings from figures like French President Emmanuel Macron, who described the world as “shifting to a world without rules,” and United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, who recently cautioned that selective adherence to international law is “undermining global order and setting a perilous precedent.” Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also spoke of a “rupture” in the international system, not merely a transition. These sentiments echo the forum’s Global Risks Report, which identifies “geoeconomic confrontation” as the top risk for 2026. Economic…
