Egyptian Ambassador to Cyprus Mai Khalil won the Diplomat of the Year Prize of the Cypriot Trade and Industry Chamber under the auspices of Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.
Christodoulides handed over Khalil the award during a celebration held at the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Nicosia.
The Cypriot FM lauded Khalil’s endeavors since she has assumed office since November 2017.
On her part, Khalil gave a speech; hailing Christodoulides’s thanks words. She referred to the importance of the cooperation between Cairo and Nicosia.
Addressing the event, Christodoulides said economic diplomacy was indispensable, adding that his ministry had made it one of its top priorities.
“These are only a few of the reasons that make economic diplomacy indsipensable."
Kalil and Allen
"It is mandatory that we use all levers at our disposal to promote our mutual economic interests, to ensure a level playing field for all economies – large and small,” Chistodoulides said according to Cyprus Mail.
Khalil and Canadian Ambassador Mark Allen were named ‘diplomats of the year’, resident and non-resident respectively. They were voted for by the island’s diplomatic corps.
Integral partnerships
Economic relations between countries in recent years have become more blurred, Christodoulides said, noting partnerships are becoming more integral.
It is also important to highlight Nicosia’s firm position within the EU that Egypt must be supported in a more tangible way, noting that Egypt has a pivotal role to play in addressing the issues of terrorism, migration, maritime and energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean and stability in the region.
Egypt fully supports Cyprus in its efforts to unify the Island in accordance with all relevant United Nations Resolutions and International Law. Egypt makes it a point, in all international and regional fora to support the just cause of Cyprus in its quest for Unification.
Egypt also supports the right of Cyprus to have full control of its natural resources as any sovereign country and to exploit its natural wealth within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Contributed by Nawal Sayed
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