Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptians Abroad Badr Abdelatty had a telephone conversation on Wednesday with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international developments.
Minister Abdelatty opened the call by conveying President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s congratulations to Bulgarian President Elena Yotova on her victory in the presidential elections.
He expressed Egypt’s keenness to further develop relations with Bulgaria across various fields and intensify high-level mutual visits, particularly as the two countries mark the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Nader Zaki said in a statement.
He added that the foreign minister underscored the importance of activating bilateral co-operation mechanisms, notably convening the second session of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Co-operation, co-chaired by the two foreign ministers, in Sofia in the coming period, alongside the third session of the Economic Co-operation Committee.
He also highlighted the importance of expanding trade exchange, encouraging mutual investments and strengthening co-operation in recruiting skilled Egyptian workers, in a manner that serves the shared interests of both countries.
On regional and international developments, the two ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in the Ukrainian crisis.
In this respect, Minister Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for a political and peaceful settlement through diplomatic channels, stressing the need to de-escalate tensions and prioritise dialogue.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, given its direct implications for the stability of global grain supply chains, and pointed to the Abu Dhabi negotiations as an opportunity to advance efforts towards resolving the crisis.
