Chiefs of staff of Egypt, Comoros hold talks, sign cooperation MoU

CAIRO – 15 August 2022: Chief of Staff Osama Askar received Sunday his Comorian counterpart Youssef Ighad, who is heading a delegation that is holding a several-day visit to Egypt.

Askar and Ighad discussed bilateral cooperation, and issues of mutual concern. They also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on areas of prospective collaboration.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry handed in April 2021 a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to President of Comoros Azali Assoumani on developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in a meeting in Moroni.

Shoukry’s visit to Comoros was his second stop in an African six-nation tour that includes DR Congo, the current chair of the African Union, as well as Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa and Kenya.

The tour that started with Kenya came to brief the six nations on developments of the GERD issue, including the latest AU-sponsored talks that took place in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa in the same month.

Sisi’s message to Assoumani included a brief on the current situation of the GERD issue and the Egyptian stance in this regard, a statement by the Egyptian Foreign ministry read.

Comoros is an incumbent member at the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union.

Shoukry, during his meeting with Assoumani, reviewed the highlights of the Kinshasa talks.

Shoukry said these recent talks highlighted Egypt’s genuine political leadership to launch a serious negotiations path that results in reaching a legal binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.

Shoukry affirmed that this agreement should preserve the rights and interests of the three countries of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

The Egyptian minister also expressed Egypt’s keenness to work with concerned nations and parties to reach a solution to the GERD dispute, in a way that does not harm regional security and stability.

Shoukryv also said Egypt is looking forward to developing the bilateral relations with Comoros in various fields and continuing coordination and consultation with the African country on regional and international issues of mutual concern.