Philippine Amb.: We have exceptional diplomatic, political relations with Egypt

CAIRO - 26 June 2024: The Philippine Ambassador to Cairo, Ezz El-Din Tajo, said that the Philippine Embassy in Cairo is considered the first Philippine mission to be established in the Middle East and Africa, adding, “We have exceptional diplomatic and political relations with Egypt.”

 

He explained that the two countries are founding members of the United Nations, share the same positions in various multilateral organizations, and have the same aspirations for their people. He added: "we aim to achieve peace and prosperity for our nations."

 

This came during his speech on Tuesday, at a ceremony organized by the Philippine Embassy on the occasion of the 126th anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, under the slogan (Freedom. Future. History).

 

The ambassador continued: "On this basis, we are committed to pushing our bilateral relations forward in various fields," thanking Ambassador Ahmed Shaheen, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian Affairs, and the Egyptian government and society for their cooperation in reaching these goals.

 

The ambassador thanked the Egyptian government for its continued humanitarian stances, especially during the recent conflicts in Sudan and Gaza.

 

He stressed that Egypt helped the Philippines evacuate Filipinos from Sudan and Gaza to safe places, and also continues to provide assistance and hospitality to everyone.

 

The ambassador pointed out that Filipino Muslims have been studying at Al-Azhar University for decades, as the number of current students at Al-Azhar is about 250 students.

 

In another context, the ambassador said: On June 12, 1898, revolutionary General Emilio Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines, and this day witnessed for the first time the display of the Philippine flag and the playing of the national anthem.

 

We achieved our full independence on July 4, 1946, and we celebrated that day as our national holiday until 1962 when former President Macapagal returned through a presidential proclamation.

 

The ambassador added, before the Corona virus, our economic growth rate was always more than 6%, declaring that the Philippine economy is back on track and enjoying economic growth that is expected to rise at a rate of 5.9% from this year until 2026 and beyond.

 

He continued: The gross domestic product of our regional union is about 3.7 trillion US dollars, and the population is more than 670 million people, which makes us the third largest economy in Asia and the fifth largest economy in the world.

 

The Ambassador invited everyone to visit the Philippines to experience its natural wonders, stunning landscapes, and kind people.

 

He said: We are proud of our unique heritage and vibrant culture, which is a mixture of indigenous traditions and the influences of different civilizations that have shaped our identity.

 

In 2023, the Philippines won four major tourism awards from the prestigious World Travel Awards.

 

The ceremony was attended by Ambassador Ahmed Shaheen, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian Affairs, Ambassador Nabil Habashi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Protocol Affairs, and Mohamed Nawar, Head of Egyptian Radio.

 

A number of ambassadors also attended, including: Turkey, Vietnam, Cameroon, Nepal, Serbia, Armenia, Mauritius, Pakistan, Albania, Ireland, Indonesia, North Korea, New Zealand, Rwanda, Mongolia, Cyprus, India, Slovenia, Norway, in addition to the Chargé d'Affairs. Embassy of Malaysia, Chargé d'Affairs of Embassy of Tajikistan, Chargé d'Affaires of Embassy of Thailand, and Deputy Ambassador of Chile.