Cairo: Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, co-chaired the seventh session of the Egypt-Qatar Joint Higher Committee on Thursday, August 20, 2026, during which four agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed between both sides.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the Egyptian and Qatari sides signed a cooperation agreement between the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD). A grant agreement was also signed for the construction of the Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Hospital in Sohag Governorate, alongside a cooperation agreement between Egypt's Central Auditing Organization and Qatar's State Audit Bureau on oversight-related fields, as well as an agreement on mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.
During the session, Abdelatty praised the qualitative shift in Egyptian-Qatari relations under the directives of the two countries' leaderships, noting that the growing pace of high-level visits reflects a shared political will to elevate bilateral ties to broader horizons. He stressed that the regular convening of the Joint Higher Committee demonstrates the two sides' mutual commitment to strengthening cooperation frameworks across various fields and translating the current political momentum into practical steps that serve the interests of both peoples.
The Egyptian FM commended the rapid development of the economic partnership between the two countries, noting that bilateral trade increased by 80 percent in 2025. He looked forward to doubling trade and investment flows by expanding partnerships between the two business communities and activating the Egyptian-Qatari Business Council. Abdelatty also affirmed Egypt's openness to receiving more Qatari investments, praising the significant growth in Qatari investments in Egypt, particularly the 'Alam Al Roum' project to develop around 4,900 feddans in the Samla and Alam Al Roum areas on the North Coast in Marsa Matrouh.
The Egyptian foreign minister stated that the first phase of the 'Alam Al Roum' project was launched earlier this month, covering around 20 percent of the project's total area. He also pointed to the launch of a sustainable jet fuel manufacturing project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), with direct Qatari investments exceeding $200 million in its first phase, reflecting the Qatari side's confidence in Egypt's investment climate.
Abdelatty stressed the importance of building on the momentum generated by the Egyptian-Qatari Investment Forum, held in Cairo in December 2025, and expressed Egypt's hope to host the forum's third edition in Cairo, where business councils and companies from both countries are expected to participate. Moreover, the Egyptian FM praised the significant progress in cooperation in conventional and renewable energy, particularly following the signing of an MoU on energy cooperation on January 4, 2026, as well as investments by 'QatarEnergy' in oil and gas exploration projects in Egyptian offshore areas.
He looked forward to deepening cooperation between Egypt and Qatar in the fields of energy and gas. Furthermore, Abdelatty praised the care and attention provided to the Egyptian community in Qatar, affirming Egypt's commitment to continuing coordination in this field. He further expressed Cairo's readiness to provide specialized Egyptian professionals to meet Qatar's demand for labor in key areas in an organized manner that serves the interests of both countries and peoples.
In return, the Qatari FM praised the increased momentum in relations between Egypt and Qatar across various fields. He emphasized Doha's commitment to strengthening economic and investment cooperation and increasing trade volume with Egypt to serve the shared interests of the two brotherly peoples. Moreover, he welcomed the convening of the seventh session of the Egypt-Qatar Joint Higher Committee, describing it as an important mechanism for following up on areas of cooperation and advancing the implementation of joint projects and agreements.
Earlier on Thursday, the Qatari FM met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, with whom he addressed the latest regional developments, including the crisis in Gaza and the US-Israel war on Iran.