FM receives Dutch minister of trade and development cooperation

CAIRO – 5 May 2026: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty received Sjoerd Wimmer, the Dutch Minister of Trade and Development Cooperation, on Tuesday to discuss strategies for strengthening bilateral relations between Egypt and the Netherlands.

During the meeting, Minister Abdelatty expressed his eagerness to collaborate with the new Dutch government to enhance cooperation across various sectors. He welcomed the growing momentum in political, economic, and cultural relations between the two nations.

The Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of deepening ties in the economic, trade, and development sectors. Key areas of focus included port development, healthcare, agriculture, communications and information technology, digitalization, infrastructure, financial services, artificial intelligence, and logistics. He also highlighted the significant potential for boosting bilateral trade.

Minister Abdelatty called for increased Dutch investment in Egypt, urging investors to capitalize on available opportunities and incentives, particularly within the Suez Canal Economic Zone and other major national projects.

Both ministers welcomed the ongoing fruitful cooperation in water resource management and the expanding academic ties, with Minister Abdelatty encouraging Dutch universities to establish branch campuses in Egypt.

Minister Abdelatty also commended the constructive partnership regarding migration, which was highlighted by the high-level dialogue session held in Cairo in July 2025. He welcomed the declaration of intent for cooperation in this field, stressing the importance of exchanging expertise and capacity building.

Furthermore, the Foreign Minister expressed his aspiration to strengthen trilateral cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands in Africa. He pointed to Egypt’s technical expertise in development and humanitarian projects as a foundation for supporting development efforts across the continent.

For his part, Minister Wimmer praised Egypt’s pivotal role in maintaining regional security and stability, as well as its ongoing efforts to contain regional escalation. He reaffirmed the Netherlands' commitment to expanding bilateral relations and exploring broader horizons for cooperation.