‘Egypt is valued partner, plays pivotal role in maintaining peace in Arab world and Africa’: MEA

New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): Egypt is a ‘valued partner’ for India as it plays a ‘pivotal role’ in maintaining peace and stability in the Arab world and Africa, a top official in the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Speaking at ICWA Panel Discussion on India-Egypt Ties in Changing Global Order, Ausaf Sayeed, secretary (CPV & OIA), MEA, stressed that India and Egypt have immense potential and can attain even greater heights through bilateral engagements based on shared interests.

“Our focus today is to strengthen this bond and at the same time nurture new connections. Egypt is our valued partner and has a pivotal role in maintaining peace and stability in the Arab world and Africa,” Sayeed said.

“India-Egypt partnership has immense potential and can achieve greater heights based on commonalities of Global South which we historically share. We have excellent cooperation in multilateral forums and good understanding on regional and global issues,” he added.

Calling the completion of 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and Egypt as a ‘momentous occasion’, he said the two nations established formal relations three days after India attained independence on August 15 in 1947. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as chief guest for the Republic Day and the invitation was warmly received.

Ausaf Sayeed said, “This is indeed a momentous occasion in our bilateral relations with Egypt when our two countries are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations. I was told that When we became independent on the 15th of August, 1947 it was three days later on the 18th of August that the relations, formal relations were established which goes on to say the importance which we attach to our relationship with Egypt.”

He further stated, “Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has invited President Sisi as chief guest for our republic day and the invitation has been warmly accepted by President Sisi. We have all as you all know invited Egypt as the guest country during our G20 Presidency this year. It is a matter of satisfaction that the civilization links between India and Egypt have not only stood the test of time but have also further strengthened by mutual warmth, friendship, and goodwill.”

Sayeed added that the ties between the two nations received further momentum with Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s visits to India and meetings between the two leaders at various forums, including the United Nations.

The top MEA official further added, “While the bilateral trade was aready recorded at an all-time high of US dollars 7.2 billion between 2021 and 2022, we hope this trade will further increase to about 12 billion, a target that we have set.”