The Government of Japan conferred the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun upon Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
This prestigious decoration, conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, recognises Aboul Gheit’s significant contributions to strengthening the bonds of friendship, cooperation, and mutual understanding between Japan and Egypt, as well as between Japan and the Arab world, a statement by the Japanese Embassy in Cairo said.
During his tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egyptfrom 2004 to 2011, Aboul Gheit played a pivotal role in deepening Egyptian-Japanese relations.
He elevated the strategic dialogue between the two countries to the ministerial level, paving the way for the establishment of a Strategic Partnership in 2023.
Aboul Gheit also played an instrumental role in the realisation of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which stands as a new symbol of development cooperation between Japan and Egypt, and in the establishment of the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), among other achievements.
Since assuming the office of Secretary-General of the League of Arab States in 2016, Aboul Gheit has made tireless efforts to reinforce Japan-Arab relations. Notably, he worked to launch the Japan-Arab Political Dialogue, which has since convened three times.
