Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration Badr Abdelatty asserted the strong and historic ties between Egypt and the Maldives, noting the directives from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to further develop and enhance bilateral relations. This came during a joint press conference held by Abdelatty with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Khaleel.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty welcomed the visiting Maldivian Minister, highlighting that relations between the two countries date back over 150 years, beginning in the 19th century when Egypt hosted many Maldivian students at Al-Azhar University. 'Egypt was also the first Arab and Islamic country to recognize the Maldives in 1969,' he said. He pointed to the continued development of relations since then, describing them as a bridge between the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.
The Minister added that he had conveyed President Sisi's greetings to Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu during the meeting and that both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to advancing political, economic, commercial, and investment relations. Abdelatty stated that diplomatic relations between Egypt and the Maldives date back to 1969, expressing hope for strengthening ties across various sectors. He noted that the Maldivian Foreign Minister conveyed greetings and appreciation of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The minister emphasized that there is a solid foundation for enhancing economic relations between the two countries. 'While the volume of trade has recently increased more than threefold, he acknowledged that it still does not reflect the depth of the distinguished relations,' he said. Both sides discussed ways to further cooperation, including boosting Egyptian exports to Maldives, increasing imports from the Maldives, and encouraging Egyptian private sector investment in areas such as tourism. He explained that the talks also addressed cooperation and investment in fields such as food security, manufacturing, as well as educational, cultural, and artistic collaboration.
The Maldivian Minister praised the vital role played by Al Azhar in Maldives for nearly 200 years. Abdelatty announced that the Maldivian Foreign Minister will have the honor of meeting Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed el Tayyeb to discuss cooperation in training imams and teaching the Arabic language in the Maldives. Discussions also touched on people-to-people and parliamentary exchanges, as well as the importance of establishing direct air links. EgyptAir is currently studying the possibility of launching joint flights.
Maldives expressed interest in opening an embassy in Egypt, located in the New Administrative Capital, which would contribute significantly to deepening bilateral relations. The minister also mentioned that the two sides exchanged support for international candidacies and he conveyed Egypt's gratitude for the Maldivian support of Egypt's membership in the UN Human Rights Council.
Abdelatty said the talks included recognition by the Maldivian Foreign Minister of Egypt's leading role in promoting peace in the Middle East, particularly Egypt's hosting of the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit, which witnessed the signing of the agreement to end the war in Gaza, alongside broad international participation. Minister Abdelatty stated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to ensure regular joint consultations between Egypt and the Maldives, establishing a mechanism for holding these consultations periodically. He noted that the discussions also addressed environmental and climate change issues, given that, like Egypt's Nile Delta, the Maldives is among the regions most affected by climate change.
For his part, the Foreign Minister of Maldives Khaleel thanked Abdelatty for his kind words and warm hospitality. He said that he had held fruitful discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, emphasizing the close relations and mutual respect between the two countries. He noted that this round of consultations follows the successful dialogue session held in 2019, which served as a platform for constructive dialogue. He explained that the talks included enhancing economic and investment cooperation, particularly in agriculture, fish exports, and tourism, as well as cooperation in the health sector, including recruiting Egyptian doctors.
He added that both sides agreed on strengthening cultural and educational ties, including increasing the number of Maldivian graduates from Azhar University. He emphasized that the two countries share a long history of cultural exchange rooted in Islamic heritage, and that such bonds are fundamental in shaping the relationship. The discussions also covered multilateral cooperation, with agreement to coordinate positions within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and UNESCO, and the ministers exchanged views on climate change.
The Maldivian Minister praised Egypt's leadership in addressing climate issues and congratulated Egypt on its membership in the UN Human Rights Council, describing it as a testament to international recognition. He stressed that Egypt played a significant and leading role in brokering the ceasefire in Gaza, and in hosting the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit. He noted that Egypt's efforts brought a glimmer of hope to the Palestinian people and ended decades of suffering.