Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok on Friday while attending the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
Abdelatty conveyed greetings from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to the Thai prime minister, who asked that his regards be returned and expressed appreciation for the Egyptian president’s role in helping contain regional crises, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nader Zaki.
Charnvirakul also extended an invitation to President Sisi to visit Thailand.
The Thai prime minister welcomed Abdelatty’s visit, describing it as the first by an Egyptian foreign minister in 30 years. The visit included a session of the Egyptian-Thai joint committee aimed at expanding co-operation across a range of sectors.
Charnvirakul also praised the longstanding relations between Egypt and Thailand, which established diplomatic ties in 1954.
The two sides agreed on the importance of increasing bilateral trade, currently valued at around $1.2bn, citing significant opportunities to boost exports from both countries, Zaki said.
During the meeting, Abdelatty highlighted major investment opportunities in Egypt, particularly within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. He pointed to successful Thai investments in the tourism, hospitality, textiles, garments and food industries.
The Egyptian foreign minister also affirmed Egypt’s readiness to support further localisation of Thai industries, noting that Egypt serves as a strategic gateway to African markets, while Thailand provides access to the Asia-Pacific region.
The meeting also covered a number of regional issues, with both sides exchanging views on recent developments and Egypt’s efforts to de-escalate tensions and advance diplomatic solutions to ongoing crises.
According to the spokesperson, Thailand expressed strong appreciation for Egypt’s diplomatic efforts and its role in promoting regional stability.
