Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty on Thursday phoned EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas to congratulate her on the new post. During the phone conversation, Abdelatty said he looks forward to working with the new EU foreign policy chief in the coming period to build on the existing momentum in Egypt-EU relations and close coordination on regional and international issues of common concern, said Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Tamim Khallaf.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the foreign minister lauded the significant progress in relations between the two sides, especially after President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the “Joint Political Declaration” to upgrade bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive and strategic partnership. The top Egyptian diplomat expressed hope for deepening cooperation between Egypt and the EU in the economic, trade, political,
and scientific fields, as part of the comprehensive and strategic partnership.
He underlined the importance of fostering economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Egypt and the EU, urging for the rapid disbursement of the one-billion-euro first tranche under the EU’s 7.4-billion-euro financial aid package for the country. Abdelatty briefed Kallas on the successive developments in the Middle East, where he emphasized the necessity of intensifying regional and international efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and allowing the access of humanitarian aid to the enclave.
The foreign minister posted the EU official on the updates in Syria, stressing the significance of respecting the Arab country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity. In this regard, Abdelatty called for protecting civilians and uniting regional and international endeavors to stop the ongoing fighting in northwestern Syria. On the Sudanese crisis, the foreign minister affirmed the necessity of respecting Su
dan’s unity and its territorial integrity.
On that score, he highlighted Egypt’s efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Sudan and enable regional and international humanitarian organizations to carry out their tasks in light of the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. Regarding the situation in the Horn of Africa, Abdelatty said Egypt advocates for respecting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity and backs its national institutions in the fight against terrorism. Abdelatty told Kallas that water security is an existential issue for Egypt.