CAIRO – 22 November 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty stressed Egypt's keenness to enhance economic integration with African countries, notably the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), within the directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, to foster regional cooperation with African states.
Abdelatty's remarks came during his meeting on Friday with Congolese Minister of Industry and the Development of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Louis Kabamba Watum, as part of his official visit to Kinshasa.
The foreign minister underlined the importance of strengthening joint action to develop trade and investments ties between Egypt and the DR Congo.
The top Egyptian diplomat called for elevating economic ties between the two countries, through supporting the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises, which serve as the basic driver of economic and social development.
The pair discussed the possibility of establishing Egyptian factories in the DRC to localize the manufacture of a number of Egyptian products, especially in the fields of medicines, food industries and agricultural industry.
Abdelatty expressed Egypt's willingness to provide technical support and training in the areas of industry and entrepreneurship for the DRC.
He also highlighted the key role that could be played by the Egyptian Export and Investment Guarantee Agency (EEIGA) in encouraging Egyptian SMEs to enter the Congolese market.
On his part, the Congolese industry minister commended Egypt's leading part in backing the development process in Africa, expressing his aspiration to expand the partnership with Egypt, especially in the field of manufacturing and agricultural industries, in a way that contributes to advancing sustainable development in the DRC.
On Thursday, Abdelatty held a round of political consultations with his DR Congolese counterpart Therese Wagner at the beginning of his visit to Kinshasa.
The consultations focused on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern, according to an official press release.
The visit shows Egypt's commitment to boosting its historical relations with DR Congo, based on mutual respect, fraternity, and joint efforts to develop a strategic partnership that serves the interests of both countries, Abdelatty said.
He described DR Congo as one of the leading African countries benefiting from Egyptian aid, technical cooperation programs, and capacity-building initiatives provided by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development (EAPD), the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), along with scholarships available for Congolese students to study at Egyptian universities and institutes.
The two ministers also discussed enhancing economic and investment cooperation and increasing collaboration between investors from both countries, as well as launching an Egyptian-Congolese Business Forum to boost trade and investment relations.
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