Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdel-Aati met his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila.
The two ministers praised the steady progress in Egypt-Sri Lanka relations in recent years and reaffirmed their commitment to building on the current momentum through closer consultation and coordination.
Minister Abdel-Aati stressed Egypt’s interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation, including regular political consultations between the two foreign ministries and enhanced parliamentary cooperation.
He also said that Egypt looks forward to attracting more Sri Lankan investments, particularly in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. He also highlighted the incentives offered to foreign investors.
Minister Abdel-Aati welcomed the interest of leading Sri Lankan garment manufacturers in expanding their operations in Egypt. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to removing investment obstacles, boosting bilateral trade, and reviving the joint business council.
The minister also underscored the importance of cooperation in tourism and antiquities, calling for the implementation of the existing memorandum of understanding and offering Egypt’s expertise in training tourism and heritage professionals.
He further expressed Egypt’s readiness to expand cooperation in combating terrorism and extremism, including through Al-Azhar’s role in promoting moderate Islamic thought.
The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments.
For his part, Herath reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening ties with Egypt and expanding cooperation in the economic, investment, and cultural fields, while maintaining coordination on issues of mutual interest.
