CAIRO/KAMPALA – Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry had a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik to discuss boosting bilateral cooperation in fields of mutual concern, including heavy industry, railways, food processing and mechanized agriculture sectors.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, said Spokesman for the Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Zeid.
They also agreed to move forward towards holding the next session of the joint higher committee between the two sides during the first half of this year, the spokesman further noted.
The spokesman said that FM Shoukry praised the pace of mutual visits between the two countries at the highest levels, as President Abdel Fattah El Sisi visited Minsk in June 2019, while Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko visited Egypt twice in 2017 and 2020. He also extended an invitation to President Sisi to visit Belarus again.
They also welcomed the convocation of the third meeting of the Belarusian-Egyptian Working Group for Cooperation in the Industrial Field in July 2023, as well as Cairo’s hosting of the 7th session of the Joint Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation in November 2023.
The two ministers also agreed to study the launch of direct airlines between Egypt and Belarus, in preparation for reaching an agreement with the Belarusian side to allow Egyptian airlines to operate regular flights between Cairo and Minsk and connect the Belarusian capital with Egyptian tourist resorts, with the aim of increasing the number of Belarusian tourist arrivals in Egypt in the coming period, the spokesman said.
Shoukry also reviewed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip, as well as the vital role played by Egypt and its all-out efforts to ensure the unimpeded and safe delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, according to the spokesman.
Shoukry also briefed the Belarusian minister on genuine efforts made by Cairo to reach a permanent ceasefire and its stark warning of the dangers of the continuation of this situation on security and stability in the region, expressing real fear that the conflict could expand into the region, the spokesman concluded.
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