Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Atty received a phone call from Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlic Radman, to congratulate him on his new position.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Migration and Director of Public Diplomacy, stated that Minister Abdel Atty expressed his deep gratitude to the Croatian minister for the congratulatory call.
In return, he congratulated the Croatian Foreign Minister on his renewed appointment in the newly formed government last May and the success of the annual Dubrovnik Forum, which is gaining regional and European momentum. Additionally, he praised Croatia for joining the Schengen Area and the Eurozone in January 2023.
Minister Abdel Atty thanked Croatia for its support in elevating Egypt’s relations with the European Union to a strategic partnership level and expressed Egypt’s hopes for continued support consistent with the distinguished relations between the two friendly countr
ies. He also commended Croatia’s supportive stance towards Egypt in international forums and within the EU, as well as the mutual endorsement of nominations on various levels.
The official spokesperson added that the Egyptian Foreign Minister looked forward to the swift convening of the Joint Ministerial Committee, which Croatia is set to host.
This committee, chaired by the Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation along with the Croatian Minister of Economy, is expected to open new horizons for cooperation and investment between the two countries.
He also noted Egypt’s desire to increase trade between the two nations, revive cooperation between the ports of Alexandria and Rijeka, and facilitate more Egyptian exports to Europe through Croatia, which Egypt views as a key southern gateway to the EU.
Minister Abdel Atty emphasized the importance of the Croatian Prime Minister accepting the invitation from the Egyptian Prime Minister to visit Cairo to activate the Joi
nt Business Council and sign bilateral agreements awaiting this high-level visit. He also invited his Croatian counterpart to visit Cairo at the earliest opportunity.
Furthermore, Minister Abdel Atty welcomed Croatia’s recent shift in stance regarding the events in Gaza, noting Zagreb’s commitment to policies advocating for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access. He stressed the importance of increasing pressure on Israel to end the conflict and reach a lasting political solution.
The Croatian Foreign Minister expressed interest in enhancing bilateral cooperation with Egypt in various fields, praising the strong relations between the two countries.
He emphasized the importance of continued mutual coordination on issues of common interest to serve the interests of both friendly peoples.
Source: State Information Service Egypt
