By Manal Abdel Fattah
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held a bilateral meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik, on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Summit meetings hosted by the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealed that Minister Shukri praised the pace of mutual visits between the two countries at the highest levels, as the President of the Republic visited Minsk in June 2019, while the Belarusian President visited Egypt twice in 2017. And 2020, he extended an invitation to the President to visit Belarus again. The third meeting of the Egyptian-Belarusian joint working group for cooperation in the industrial field, which was held in July 2023, was also welcomed, as well as Cairo’s hosting of the seventh session of the Joint Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation in November last year.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that the meeting also discussed ways to deepen aspects of bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest, including the sectors of heavy industry, railways, food processing, and agricultural mechanization. It was also agreed to move forward towards arranging the holding of the next session of the joint supreme committee between the two sides during the first half of this year.
Abu Zeid explained that the two ministers also agreed to study the launch of direct airlines between Egypt and Belarus, in preparation for reaching an agreement with the Belarusian side to allow Egyptian airlines to operate regular flights between Cairo and Minsk, as well as to connect the Belarusian capital with Egyptian tourist resorts, with the aim of receiving more tourists from Belarus. In various tourist cities in Egypt during the coming period.
The official spokesman concluded his statements by noting that the Minister of Foreign Affairs reviewed the developments in the situation in Gaza, as well as the vital role played by Egypt in the framework of its tireless efforts to ensure the access of humanitarian aid without any obstacles to the Strip, in addition to the tireless efforts undertaken by Cairo to achieve a ceasefire. The continuous warning of the dangers of the continuation of this situation to the security and stability of the region, and the fear of the danger of the conflict expanding into the regional environment.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry headed Thursday to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, to head the Egyptian delegation to the nineteenth summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, on behalf of the President of the Republic, which will be held on January 19 and 20.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zaid, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the nineteenth summit of the Non-Aligned Movement will be held this year in Kampala, in light of Uganda’s presidency of the movement during the period from 2024 to 2027 following the end of Azerbaijan’s presidency. Ambassador Abu Zeid explained that the Non-Aligned Summit this year will be held under the title “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Prosperity,” noting that the summit is scheduled to witness the participation of more than 120 countries in its activities.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Egypt attaches special historical interest to the Non-Aligned Movement as it is one of the founding countries of the movement and supports its principles, and that the movement has begun to increase in importance in light of the growing political, economic and security challenges facing developing countries at the present time, and the increasing intensity of conflicts and the state of political polarization. The international stage, which requires strengthening the role of the movement and reviving the principles of Bandung.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman concluded his statements by explaining that the Foreign Minister’s agenda will include delivering Egypt’s speech on behalf of the President of the Republic, in addition to holding a large number of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the foreign ministers of member states, in order to discuss the course of bilateral relations and consult on current regional and international issues and challenges. .
