CAIRO – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has praised historical ties with Egypt, noting that it is a relationship based on mutual confidence.
He thanked President Abdel Fattah El Sisi for Egypt’s efforts to end the tension and violence in the Middle East.
Speaking in a joint press conference with Sisi earlier Wednesday, Steinmeier said this is the first visit by a German president to Egypt in nearly 25 years, which is a short time in ancient Egyptian standards.
But in terms of foreign policy, 25 years are long enough for many things to happen, the German leader told reporters, adding it seems like eternity.
Steinmeier said his talks with Sisi took up cooperation in the field of education, noting that seven German schools are accredited in Egypt, plus 29 joint schools that teach German language. There are two German-Egyptian universities in Egypt, he added.
German educational institutions are reputable in Egypt, said a proud Steinmeier. He said he is happy that more Egyptians are interested in studying German language, pointing out that those have multiplied over the past five years, reaching 420,000.
He also voiced appreciation for President Sisi’s support for a project to build 100 German-Egyptian schools in Egypt. Steinmeier told the press conference that a higher-education deal will be sealed during his current visit to Egypt.
Business-wise, about 250 German companies are currently operating in Egypt, Steinmeier said, hoping trade and investment relations between the two countries would further develop in the coming stage.
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