Sisi, Lourenco discuss ties, regional issues including Sudan
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco held one-on-one talks at the Presidential Palace in Luanda on Wdnesday, followed by expanded discussions between delegations from the two countries.
President Sisi arrived in Angola on Tuesday night, as part of an Africa tour which also includes Zambia and Mozambique.
President Sisi was offered an official reception in Luanda, as the national anthems of the two countries were played and the two presidents reviewed the guard of honour, Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.
During the talks with his Angolan counterpart, President Sisi voiced satisfaction over his first visit to the country. He also stressed the importance Egypt attaches to maximising coordination and consultation with the Angolan side, on consolidating the mechanisms of joint African action at institutional, political and developmental levels, in a manner that would contribute to achieving the aspired growth and stability.
In addition, President also referred to Egypt’s role in backing development efforts in Angola through offering technical support and capacity-building programmes, Spokesman Fahmy said.
He also underscored Egypt’s keenness to increase bilateral trade and joint investments, as well as bolstering the role of the Egyptian business sector in the Angolan market.
For his part, President Lourenco welcomed Sisi’s visit to Angola and voiced pride over the fact that this is first visit ever by an Egyptian leader to the country. He also expressed appreciation for President Sisi’s active role in handling Africa’s issues, particularly within the framework of efforts to advance development as well as maintaining peace and security in the continent, Spokesman Fahmy said.
He also said he looks forward to working with Egypt in countering challenges facing the continent, through concerted efforts and activating the mechanisms of joint African action, mainly at the level of the African Union.
The Angolan president stressed the necessity of working harder to promote all frameworks of cooperation, particularly in economic and trade fields. He also underlined the need to benefit from Egypt’s capabilities and expertise in various domains, including infrastructure development, the pharmaceutical industry, the construction of new cities, bridges and road networks, and tourism, the Presidency Spokesman said.
President Lourenco told a joint press conference after the talks that his country needs to benefit from Egypt’s expertise in infrastructure development. He also urged Egyptian companies to invest in Angola.
The Sisi- Lourenco talks also addressed a host of regional issues of common interest, foremost of which were the overall developments in various hotspots of conflict on the continent, particularly in Sudan.
The two leaders discussed means of exerting concerting bilateral efforts to combat terrorism and extremist thoughts in Africa.
The meeting also discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The two presidents reiterated the importance of concluding a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam, in line with the rules of the international law, taking into account concerns of all parties.
Meanwhile, the Sisi and Lourenco witnessed the signing of two Memorandum of Understanding on for security co-operation.
Following a two-day visit to Angola, President Sisi will fly to Zambai to attend the 22nd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Governments Summit.
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