Egypt, Japan Discuss Strategic Partnership & Economic Cooperation

Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration, met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday. 

This meeting occurred during his visit to Japan for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held in Tokyo.

According to Ahmed Abu Zeid, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdelatty conveyed President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s greetings and appreciation to Kishida. He acknowledged Kishida’s efforts in elevating the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. 

Dr. Abdelatty also delivered a letter from President El-Sisi, discussing ways to enhance the relationship and advance mutual cooperation, reflecting the aspirations of both nations.

Dr. Abdelatty lauded the exceptional bilateral relations between Egypt and Japan. He highlighted the success of Kishida’s April 2023 visit, which upgraded the relationship to a “strategic partnership.” 

He praised Japan’s ongoing support for key development projects in Egypt, including the Grand Egyptian Museum and educational collaborations, and expressed Egypt’s interest in expanding cooperation into areas such as artificial intelligence, governance, and research exchange, as well as boosting Japanese tourism to Egypt.

Prime Minister Kishida reciprocated with regards to President El-Sisi, acknowledging Egypt’s significant role as a major regional player in the Middle East.

Regarding economic collaboration, Dr. Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s commitment to enhancing economic and trade relations, aligning with the upgraded political ties. He noted Egypt’s success in attracting investments despite regional and global economic challenges, citing outcomes from the Egyptian-European investment conference. 

He also expressed Egypt’s interest in exploring new economic collaboration areas, particularly concerning climate change, and encouraged Japanese companies to invest in Egypt’s green hydrogen strategy and the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The spokesperson highlighted Kishida’s interest in Dr. Abdelatty’s assessment of regional issues, including the Gaza conflict. Dr. Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s efforts to resume ceasefire negotiations and ensure humanitarian aid delivery, reiterating Egypt’s firm stance against escalation and violations of state sovereignty by Israel.

Kishida expressed Japan’s deep concern over the regional situation and supported Egypt’s de-escalation efforts while continuing to provide aid to Gaza.

Both leaders discussed other regional issues, including the situation in Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and threats to Red Sea security and international navigation. Dr. Abdelatty stressed that the lack of international solutions to these crises exacerbates their impact on many countries, including Egypt and Japan, highlighting the need for collaborative diplomatic efforts.

Dr. Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s hope for meaningful discussions on shared interests between Japan and Africa during the TICAD meetings, focusing on economic and developmental priorities for African nations. 

He also emphasized Egypt’s active participation in TICAD and Japan’s anticipated role in the Grand Egyptian Museum’s official opening, symbolizing significant Egyptian-Japanese cooperation.