Egypt, Kazakhstan discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation in tourism

CAIRO - 16 May 2023: Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Eissa, received Ambassador Khairat Lama, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Cairo, and his accompanying delegation, to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation between Egypt and Kazakhstan on tourism and archaeological level.

 

At the beginning of the meeting, the ambassador and his accompanying delegation were welcomed. The minister highlighted the strong relations between Egypt and Kazakhstan in various fields, especially tourism and antiquities.

 

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation to push more tourist movement from the Republic of Kazakhstan to Egypt, especially in light of the increase in the number of tourists from Kazakhstan to the Egyptian tourist destination to enjoy its various tourism and archaeological potentials.

 

Preparations for the joint celebration were also discussed, for the opening of Al-Zahir Baybars Mosque in Al-Zahir neighborhood next June, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of the birth of Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars.

 

It is worth noting that in 2007 a cooperation agreement was signed between the Egyptian and Kazakh governments to restore the Al-Zaher Baibars Mosque. The mosque restoration project began in 2007, then stopped in 2011, then the work resumed in 2018.

 

The restoration project included the work of lowering the groundwater level in the mosque, all construction work, careful and architectural restoration, replacement of damaged and worn-out stones, changing lighting systems and restoring old parts. 

 

In the context of increasing the tourist movement coming from Kazakhstan to Egypt, during the month of March 2022, a direct flight between Egypt and Kazakhstan was operated, in addition to the presence of a charter flight at a rate of 8 flights per week.