Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty received Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov on Saturday for talks on ways to enhance bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty welcomed his Uzbek counterpart's visit, describing it as the first bilateral visit by an Uzbek foreign minister to Egypt, underscoring that it reflects the growing momentum in relations between the two countries. Abdelatty praised the recent exchange of high-level visits between Egypt and Uzbekistan, noting that they demonstrate the shared political will to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various fields.

He stressed the importance of maintaining regular consultation and coordination mechanisms and ensuring the periodic convening of bilateral cooperation frameworks. The two top diplomats discussed ways to advance economic, trade, and investment cooperation as a key pillar for achieving the desired strategic partnership between the two countries.

Abdelatty emphasized the importance of translating the existing political understanding into tangible projects and investments, particularly in the sectors of agriculture, energy, infrastructure, mining, automotive manufacturing, chemicals, tourism, food industries, logistics, and maritime and air connectivity.

The Foreign Minister further highlighted Egypt's interest in expanding cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry to support the entry of Egyptian products into Central Asian markets. He also stressed the importance of facilitating the registration procedures for Egyptian medicines in the Uzbek market and enhancing cooperation in training, capacity-building, and the transfer of technical expertise.

Meanwhile, Abdelatty underscored the need to expedite the establishment of the Egyptian-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and the Joint Business Council, which would contribute to increasing trade and investment flows. He pointed to Egypt's strategic location and its extensive network of free trade agreements that provide access to a wide range of international markets.

Both sides reviewed regional and international developments of mutual concern, foremost among them the Palestinian issue, the spokesman said. They further exchanged views on the latest developments regarding the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

For his part, the Uzbek foreign minister praised the depth of relations between the two friendly countries and expressed his aspiration to further elevate bilateral ties across various sectors in the coming period. He also commended Egypt's important and constructive role in supporting regional security and stability.

Abdelatty and Saidov signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Egyptian Institute for Diplomatic Studies and its Uzbek counterpart, as well as an MoU on a cooperation program between the foreign ministries of the two countries for the 2026-2028 period.