ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has left for Egypt on a two-day visit on the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart. In a video message before departure, the Foreign Minister said there are vast opportunities of economic cooperation between the two countries.
Qureshi said he will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. Shah Mahmood Qureshi noted that Egypt is an important country of Muslim Ummah and is called the gateway to Africa. He said promoting trade relations with Africa is a priority of the government.
The Pakistani minister will be visiting the Arab Republic of Egypt from 16-18 February 2021. During his stay to Egypt, he also intends to visit Jamia Al Azhar and our desire is to take advantage from their experiences in the field of education. Qureshi he will also meet the business community in Egypt.
The visit of the Foreign Minister is taking place in the backdrop of the meetings between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi; first, on the sidelines of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Makkah Summit in 2019, and then on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2019. During these meetings, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and enhance high-level exchanges.
Last year, the Prime Minister also had a telephone conversation with Egyptian President regarding his ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries, which was supported by Egypt.
Pakistan and Egypt enjoy close fraternal relations firmly anchored on common faith, culture and values. The two countries have similar perceptions on a range of regional and global issues.
Bilateral cooperation is advanced through strong institutional mechanisms, including the Joint Ministerial Commission, Annual Bilateral Consultations, and Joint Business Council. More than 40 agreements signed between the two sides in diverse fields provide a firm basis for enhanced cooperation. Pakistan and Egypt also work closely in the multilateral arena, in particular the United Nations, OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Egypt is an important country in the Middle East and Africa. Egypt plays a key role in the Middle East, while its deep linkages with the African Continent make it a gateway to Africa. In line with Pakistan’s desire to forge stronger ties with the Islamic world, as well as the government’s ‘Engage Africa” initiative, Pakistan accords high importance to its partnership with Egypt.
