Sisi, Malian Foreign Minister Discuss Counter-Terrorism Co-op

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Malian Foreign Minister Zeïni Moulaye discussed on Wednesday issues of mutual interests and counter-terrorism cooperation.

“President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received today, Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali Zeïni Moulaye, in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry,” said Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

In his turn, Sisi asked to have his greetings conveyed to President Bah N'Daw.

The Egyptian president stressed the distinguished bilateral relations with Mali, especially that its location in the Sahel region is of great importance to the regional security.

“The president also affirmed Egypt's keenness to help Mali restore its stability and enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially in infrastructure projects and pharmaceutical industries,” Rady added.

Moreover, Sisi stressed keenness to provide capacity-building programs and technical support for financial institutions in various fields. In the same context, the importance of cooperation in the field of combating terrorism and extremist ideology and joint coordination at the security and military levels was further emphasized.

For his part, Moulaye conveyed to Sisi a message from President Bah N'Daw in which he praised the ongoing development in the course of bilateral relations between Egypt and Mali.

He also expressed his country's profound appreciation for Egypt and its people and leadership and praised Egypt’s continuous support to achieve its development aspirations, political will and the clear vision it pursues to promote the efforts of joint African action.

The Malian Foreign Minister expressed his appreciation for the great and influential Egyptian contribution to the work of the UN forces in Mali. The Minister stressed that there are broad prospects for developing relations and promoting joint cooperation frameworks between the two countries in various fields.

In this regard, Moulaye asserted the important role played by Al-Azhar in strengthening the cultural ties between the two countries through spreading the teachings of Islam and confronting extremist ideologies.

The meeting discussed the developments in a number of regional issues of mutual interest. Joint efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideologies were also discussed. In this regard, it was agreed to continue consultation and joint coordination between the two countries on these issues, particularly those pertaining to the Sahel region.