Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, met on Monday with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, on the sidelines of the 166th session of the Council of the League of Arab States at ministerial level.
The meeting focused on ways to further strengthen the longstanding relations between Egypt and Iraq and enhance bilateral co-ordination on issues of mutual interest, alongside discussions on key regional developments.
Abdelatty underscored the depth and strategic importance of Egyptian-Iraqi relations, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to further developing bilateral co-operation across a wide range of fields.
He expressed Egypt’s aspiration to convene the fourth session of the Egyptian-Iraqi Joint Higher Committee in Cairo, with a view to giving fresh impetus to economic, trade and investment co-operation and advancing the implementation of joint projects that serve the interests of both countries.
The two ministers also reaffirmed the importance of continuing to develop the trilateral co-operation mechanism bringing together Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
They highlighted its potential as an effective framework for regional integration and for harnessing the considerable human and economic resources of the three countries in support of sustainable development, economic growth and greater prosperity for their peoples.
Regional developments and their repercussions for Iraq’s security and stability, as well as for the wider region, also featured prominently in the discussions.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm and unwavering support for Iraq’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its rejection of any form of foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.
He stressed that the stability and security of Iraq constitute an essential pillar of Arab national security.
The two ministers underscored the need to prevent further regional polarisation and escalation, and to pursue efforts aimed at reducing tensions and containing conflicts.
They stressed the importance of prioritising dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions as the principal means of addressing regional challenges and safeguarding security and stability.
