Egyptian FM receives New Zealand counterpart to discuss investment, Middle East crises

CAIRO – 1 April 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry received Monday his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters who is holding a visit to Egypt on March 31-April 2 to celebrate the launch of diplomatic relations 50 years ago.

The meeting tackled bolstering cooperation in various fields, especially that Egypt aims for hosting political consultations later this year. Minister Shokry also expressed aspiration that the New Zealand government would highlight opportunities and incentives in Egypt for investors, underlining the need for supporting communication between the business communities in both countries.

On another level, the Egyptian minister valued the collaboration between the two states at international organizations, and New Zealand's contribution to the Multinational Force (MFO) in Sinai.  

The meeting equally covered international and regional issues of mutual concern, mainly the Gaza War. Minister Peters listened to his Egyptian counterpart's assessment of all aspects of the crisis. The minister also presented Egypt's efforts on delivering humanitarian aid and brokering a ceasefire agreement.

The minister stressed that the Security Council should ensure the implementation of resolution no. 2728 on the sufficient supply of humanitarian aid to Palestinians through a UN-monitored mechanism in order to avoid the worsening of humanitarian conditions. He also renewed Egypt's rejection to all scenarios targeting the forced displacement of Palestinians, and carrying out a land operation in Palestinian Rafah.

The Egyptian minister similarly briefed his New Zealand counterpart on mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Sudan and reach a national agreement on the future of the country. He also displayed Egypt's vision on the aftermath of the civil wars in Libya and Syria, and the Houthi threat to navigation in the Red Sea and its impact on international trade and regional security. In another context, the minister showcased the Egyptian-Iraqi-Jordanian cooperation mechanism.