Egyptian-Austrian Committee to be launched in 2019

CAIRO - 18 December 2018: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi announced that an Egyptian-Austrian committee will convene in 2019 to identify files of mutual interest during a press conference in Vienna with Chancellor Sebastian kurz.

Professor of Political Science at the American University in Cairo (AUC) Tarek Fahmy told Al Watan newspaper that the committee will be in charge of discussing and developing mechanisms to execute the 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed by both countries on Monday.

Fahmy said that the committee will be permanent, and will comprise ministries and state institutions concerned with the sectors pertinent to the MoUs in both countries.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz witnessed on Monday the signing of 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Vienna by ministers of both countries.

Those are in the sectors of finance, information and communication technology (ICT), scientific research, technology and innovation, infrastructure, and railway. Also, both parties reached an agreement for the Austrian side to establish a railway machinery factory in an Egyptian free zone.

The purpose of the four-day state visit to Austria by President Sisi is the participation in the Africa-Europe Forum summit, co-hosted by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

President Sisi will deliver a speech on Egypt's vision to push forward development efforts in Africa since the country will chair the African Union (AU) in 2019.

Regarding bilateral relations between Egypt and Austria, the president's visit will include meetings with a number of politicians, senior officials and investors on furthering cooperation in trade, educational and scientific research, transport and investment domains.

A host of African and European leaders are to take part in the event aiming at enhancing African-European partnership.