Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said Egypt is keen to continue strengthening bilateral relations with Australia. Abdelatty's remarks were made while receiving Anne Aly, Australia's Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs.

According to State Information Service Egypt, during the meeting, Abdelatty voiced Egypt's aspiration to increase the volume of trade exchange, reflecting the advanced level of relations between the two countries. He further reviewed the package of economic reforms adopted by the Egyptian government to improve the business environment and enhance the role of the private sector.

The Foreign Minister further stressed the importance of creating a supportive environment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), given their pivotal role in job creation and in supporting the national economy. He underscored the value of cooperation with Australia as a partner with expertise in supporting SMEs and entrepreneurship.

Abdelatty also highlighted the importance of attracting Australian investments in vital priority sectors for both countries, such as mining, clean energy and green hydrogen, water management, the production of drought-resistant crops, and livestock.

He further emphasized the importance of enhancing trilateral cooperation in the field of institutional capacity-building among national entities in Egypt, Australia, and African countries, through training and the transfer of expertise via the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development.