Egyptian FM heads to Hungary for consultations, bilateral cooperation talks

CAIRO – 29 May 2023: Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry headed Monday to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, to hold talks with his counterpart on bolstering cooperation and coordinate stances on regional and international matters of mutual concern.

The ministry's press statement clarified that the visit aims to build on the outcomes of reciprocated visits by the chiefs of both states, especially those paid by the Hungarian prime minister to Egypt in February, and that included signing the strategic partnership agreement and a number of MoUs.

During their joint press conference in February at Al Itihadiyah Presidential Palace, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi stated that he had agreed with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on expanding trade exchange.

The top Egyptian exports to Hungary are cotton, vegetables, fruits, cement, fertilizers, and carpets. As for the top imports from Hungary, they are electronic devices, glass, aluminum, fuel, rubber, and organic chemicals. 

The president expressed appreciation for Hungary for increasing the number of undergraduate and graduate scholarships offered to Egyptian students to 200 starting academic year 2023-2024.

The two leaders conferred over strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, water management and irrigation, and transport. That is in addition to increasing the number of tourists between both countries, and localizing locomotive industry in Egypt.

President Sisi said: “We have a voice in the European Union, and this voice is Hungary, as it has been a strong supporter to Egypt, and it has always clarified and explained to the European Union, different situations occurring in the Middle East, as well as in Egypt.”