Japan supports Egypt’s counterterrorism efforts in Middle East, FM tells Sisi

CAIRO – 16 August 2021: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi affirmed his country’s support to the Egyptian efforts to counter terrorism and extremism in the Middle East, as he met with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Monday in Cairo.

Motegi also hailed the Egyptian efforts toward the Palestinian cause and the de-escalation in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian presidential statement read.

Sisi and Motegi also discussed the latest developments of the situation in Afghanistan, the statement added.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Japanese Ambassador to Cairo Masaki Noke also attended the meeting.

The two countries, during the meeting, have agreed on the need to reach political solutions to the crises in the region.

They affirmed the need for continuing consultation and coordination between the two sides in the different international forums, especially in terms of the joint efforts to prepare for the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) set to be held in Tunisia next year.

The Egyptian president asked that his greetings be conveyed to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Sisi also congratulated the Japanese people for successfully hosting the latest Olympics in Tokyo.

Sisi hailed the firm and fruitful relations between Egypt and Japan, affirming Egypt’s keenness to develop bilateral cooperation with Japan toward a broader horizon of joint work in various fields, especially investments and the economic and developmental fields.

The president reiterated Egypt’s keenness to attract further Japanese investments, taking advantage of the broad investment opportunities in various sectors in the country, given the good reputation, technical experience and advanced industrial quality of the Japanese companies in Egypt.

Motegi conveyed Suga’s greetings to President Sisi, affirming the special importance Japan attaches to its relations with Egypt on the level of bilateral cooperation and political consultation.

This comes due to the important and pivotal Egyptian role in its regional surrounding to establish stability and peace in the Middle East.

Motegi also expressed Japan’s aspiration to enhance economic relations with Egypt and increase Japanese investments in light of the economic development and comprehensive development Egypt has witnessed.

The Japanese minister expressed appreciation for Sisi’s auspices to support and facilitate the work of the Japanese companies in Egypt, the statement added.

Motegi affirmed Japan’s keenness on cooperation with Egypt to boost the latest’s comprehensive development efforts.

He expressed Japan’s determination to intensify its efforts to implement bilateral projects with Egypt, especially in the fields of technology, energy and transportation as well as the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and the leading experiment of the Japanese schools in Egypt.

Motegi said GEM is considered a symbol of joint cooperation between Japan and Egypt.