Bamako: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty has emphasized Egypt's desire to boost trade exchange with Mali and stimulate leading Egyptian companies to expand into the Malian market. Abdelatty made the remarks during his meeting on Thursday with Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop as part of the Egyptian foreign minister's current official visit to the West African nation.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the visit continues the positive momentum in Egypt-Mali relations and follows recent high-level meetings between officials of both countries, aiming to propel bilateral ties to broader and more comprehensive horizons. The Egyptian foreign minister expressed Egypt's appreciation of Diop's visit to Cairo in December 2024, which resulted in concrete outcomes that are being followed up and implemented to strengthen Egypt-Mali relations.
Abdelatty noted that he is accompanied by a large delegation of businesspeople and representatives of major Egyptian companies from both the public and private sectors to participate in the Egypt-Mali Business Forum. "This is a demonstration of Egypt's special interest in promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation with Mali," he said.
He reviewed Egypt's efforts to support Mali in countering extremist ideologies, particularly through the role played by Al Azhar, which sends envoys to religious institutes and universities in Mali. Field workshops are conducted by the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) in the Malian capital Bamako, in cooperation with the Malian religious affairs ministry, with wide participation from Malian imams and preachers.
More than 100 Malian officials and cadres benefited this year from Egyptian training programs covering various fields. The two ministers also exchanged views on regional developments of mutual concern, especially the latest political and security conditions in the Sahel and West Africa, including the escalation of violence and the expansion of terrorist group activities.
On that score, Abdelatty affirmed Egypt's ongoing efforts to promote stability in the Sahel region, presenting Egypt's comprehensive vision for addressing regional challenges and supporting national governments and state institutions in maintaining security and achieving stability. Meanwhile, the Malian foreign minister praised the distinguished level of relations between his country and Egypt, highlighting the long history of solidarity and cooperation between both countries. He expressed Mali's aspiration to strengthen these ties, particularly in light of both countries' mutual desire to advance cooperation in various fields.
Additionally, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed to establish a mechanism for political consultation between the two countries' foreign ministries, helping enhance institutional coordination, upgrade bilateral relations to broader horizons, and reinforce joint cooperation.