President Sisi returns home after a visit to India, Azerbaijan and Armenia

CAIRO – 30 January 2023: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi returned home on Sunday evening, after a foreign tour that included India, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In his visit to Armenia, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The Spokesman for the Presidency said that Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed his pleasure to have President El-Sisi visit Armenia for the first time, affirming his country’s interest in developing relations with Egypt in light of its key role in the Middle East and Africa, as well as its independent and balanced foreign policy in dealing with complex challenges within its troubled regional surrounding.

Prime Minister Pashinyan also commended the historical and special relations that have always connected the two friendly countries and the momentum relations recently gained through the exchange of high-level visits, the most recent visit of which was the Armenian president’s participation in COP27. 

President El-Sisi extended gratitude to the Armenian Prime Minister for the warm reception, expressing pleasure at visiting Armenia and interest to further enhance bilateral relations in an array of fields, given the firm and longstanding relations between Egypt and Armenia. The President lauded Armenia’s positive and valued stances with regard to Egypt as well as the remarkable development achieved in the two countries’ relations over the past period, in light of the mutual interest to promote bilateral relations toward broader prospects.

During the talks, the President reviewed progress in Egypt’s development plans and mega national projects which are currently being implemented, offering various investment opportunities. President El-Sisi confirmed his interest to achieve significant progress in bilateral relations. This includes in particular encouraging cooperation between the two countries’ business communities, in a manner that shall reflect on boosting trade and investment; and convening the sixth edition of the Egyptian-Armenian Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Cairo at the earliest time, given its role as an institutional mechanism for dialogue between the two countries. This is in addition to fostering closer cooperation in a multitude of promising areas, including energy, infrastructure, IT, food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as supporting Egypt’s efforts to establish a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union, which will realize the two sides’ common interests.

The Spokesman added that views were exchanged on a number of regional issues and crises and their repercussions on Europe’s stability. Prime Minister Pashinyan valued Egypt’s relevant efforts to reach political solutions to various crises in the Middle East.

With regard to Eastern Europe and South Caucasus, both sides agreed on the need to intensify coordination and consultation on issues of common interest in this regard, especially developments of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its global economic repercussions.

President El-Sisi and Prime Minister Pashinyan also agreed on the need to boost joint cooperation to combat illegal migration through a comprehensive approach and work to eliminate the main causes that encourage this phenomenon. This is in addition to reviewing the latest developments with regard to combating terrorism, which threatens various countries. Both sides confirmed that it was important for the international community to join efforts to address this phenomenon.

Later, President El-Sisi left Zvartnots International Airport in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, heading back home after a foreign tour that also included India and Azerbaijan.

“This visit reflects the extent of interest and appreciation that Egypt has for its relations with Armenia and its interest in developing them in various fields as an extension of the historical relations, which have their own unique characteristics at the popular level. This dates back to the days when Egypt hosted tens of thousands of Armenians who lived in Egypt and made significant contributions to various political, economic, cultural and artistic fields. Their role had the most positive impact in enriching the Egyptian society,” said President Sisi in his speech with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

In Azerbijan, Sisi held talks with President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the Zuğulba Presidential Palace in Baku, on the second day of his official visit to Azerbaijan. An official reception ceremony was held for President El-Sisi.

The Spokesman for the Presidency said President El-Sisi commenced the meeting by extending his heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy, on behalf of the Egyptian people, to the victims of the shooting at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran. He wished a speedy recovery for the injured and expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan in this tragic incident, which reaffirmed the importance of rejecting extremism, violence and terrorism.

President Aliyev extended his gratitude to the President for this kind gesture and welcomed him as a dear guest in Azerbaijan. He expressed his country’s appreciation of Egypt’s leadership and people, commending the close relations between Egypt and Azerbaijan. President Aliyev affirmed  his country’s interest to further strengthen bilateral relations and step-up cooperation and coordination between the two countries at all levels, given Egypt’s role as a cornerstone for stability, security and peace in the Middle East and Africa.

President El-Sisi conveyed his sincere appreciation to President Aliyev for his invitation to visit Azerbaijan and for the warm reception and hospitality, lauding the firm and longstanding relations between Egypt and Azerbaijan. This was particularly evident during the current visit by President El-Sisi, who is the first Egyptian President to visit Baku. This visit demonstrated a sincere desire and will to foster closer bilateral relations, explore cooperation in various areas and promote political cooperation and consultation between the two countries.

The meeting discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations at various levels. President Aliyev lauded the path of economic reforms in Egypt, which was conducive to the remarkable and continuous improvement in the indicators of the Egyptian economy. The two sides stressed the importance of building on the profound, friendly and historical relations between Egypt and Azerbaijan, at both the official and popular levels, to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest, so as to achieve significant progress in bilateral cooperation and political dialogue. This aims at realizing the mutual interests of the two sides and at building on the rapprochement between the two countries over the past years.

The two Presidents stressed the importance of promoting trade and strengthening the economic partnerships between the two countries’ private sectors through the formation of a joint business council. They also discussed boosting cooperation between the two sides in a number of sectors, given the two countries’ enormous potential and the numerous opportunities open for cooperation, particularly in new and renewable energy and natural gas. This shall come in light of Egypt’s endeavor to become a regional energy hub. They also agreed on the need to step-up cooperation in other areas such as construction, infrastructure, transport, pharmaceutical industries, tourism and culture.

The talks also touched on developments in regional and international issues of common concern. The Azerbaijani President lauded Egypt’s positive role in efforts towards reaching political settlements to all crises in its regional milieu.

The two countries’ views were aligned regarding the importance of supporting efforts to reach a political settlement in Syria, rebuild the country, eliminate terrorist groups, and support its state institutions. This shall help preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, fulfill  the legitimate aspirations of its people, and end their suffering. As to the developments in Libya, President El-Sisi outlined Egypt's vision for a settlement in Libya and its efforts to this end so as to support the political, constitutional and economic tracks.

The meeting also discussed the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis at the international level. The two Presidents also exchanged views on developments in the Palestinian cause.

Efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideology were also discussed, in light of the real threat these phenomena pose to efforts to achieve development in the region and the world. President El-Sisi stressed the need for concerted efforts by the international community to eliminate this scourge at all levels, particularly financing terrorist groups and providing them with weapons and terrorist elements. President Aliyev praised Egypt's comprehensive approach for the fight  against terrorism, by addressing the root causes of the problem. This includes supporting economic and social development and combating extremist ideology that leads  to terrorism.

The President and the Azerbaijani President witnessed the signing of a number of joint memoranda of understanding between the relevant government authorities in the two countries for cooperation in the areas of culture and water resources, and between the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy. The two Presidents later held a joint press conference.

In his visit to India, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that his talks with the Indian leaders have agreed on intensifying coordination and cooperation on political and security topics, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said on Thursday.

In a speech at a dinner banquet hosted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Sisi said his talks with the Indian president and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also agreed on maximizing mutual interests in the infrastructure sector as well as various economic and industrial fields.

“My visit to your dear country has come at a time when our bilateral relations see a tangible leap in all forms of cooperation, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and India,” Sisi stated.

The leaders have also agreed on expanding the frameworks of communication between the Egyptian and Indian peoples through the enhancement of tourism cooperation and boosting the chances of cultural and scientific exchange, Sisi said.

In addition, they agreed on encouraging educational expertise transference, developing technical skills of youth, and encouraging airlines in the two countries to operate direct flights between the different Egyptian and Indian cities, Sisi added.

“This visit has represented an important opportunity to continue consultations and exchange views with your excellency [President Murmu] and the prime minister, not only on ways to improve cooperation between our two countries at all levels, but also to coordinate positions on regional and global issues that have a direct impact on our national security,” Sisi stated.

He added that the consensus in viewpoints between the Egyptian and Indian sides expressed during the talks “reflects a firm belief in the necessity to continue solidarity to achieve our mutual goals in the various fields based on the historical ties and the huge capabilities that Egypt and India enjoy”.

Sisi also shed light on the two countries’ determination to advance their bilateral relations to the level of strategic cooperation and to coordinate on various issues of mutual concern.

“The importance of our meeting today increases in view of the international polarization the world is witnessing, which has severe negative consequences for all peoples,” Sisi said.

He added that this makes it imperative for the developing countries to come together to face common challenges and emerging international crises, including the energy and food crises.