Sisi's visit to Uzbekistan helps push up bilateral relations

CAIRO - 4 September 2018: A visit by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to Uzbekistan later on Tuesday will help push up Egyptian-Uzbek relations, said a report by the Uzbek embassy in Cairo.

The visit is the first by an Egyptian president since a visit by late President Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1950s, added the report.

The visit also comes after two visits by late Uzbek President Islam Karimov to Egypt in 1992 and 2007 during which several cooperation agreements in the economic, scientific and investment domains were signed, according to the report.

A joint committee was formed under the co-chairmanship of the ministers of economy of the two countries, the report elaborated, noting that the first meeting of the committee was held in Tashkent in 1996.

Uzbekistan has also supported Egyptian candidates to international posts such as the post of the Inter-Parliamentary Union head and the membership of the international court for trying war criminals in former Yugoslavia along with the membership of the UNESCO executive board, added the report.

In the same context, Uzbek ambassador to Cairo Oybek Usmanov stressed the importance of Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi's visit to his country later Tuesday for talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

In an interview with MENA on Tuesday, Usmanov said his country is looking forward to this important visit which is the first by an Egyptian president since a visit by late president Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1950s.

The talks will take up means of enhancing bilateral ties alongside a host of issues of international and regional issues of mutual concern, he said.

The two presidents will attend the inking ceremony of several cooperation deals in the fields of economy, science, culture, education, tourism, sports and youths.

The agreements will open new vistas of fruitful cooperation, he said, noting that the two leaders will issue a joint statement after the summit.

A business forum will also be held during Sisi's visit to Tashkent. Heavy weight companies of both countries will take part in the event to review investment opportunities, set up joint ventures and activate cooperation in the fields of tourism, health, transport, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

He noted that the two countries are interested in boosting trade exchange.

Usmanov said that a large trade delegation under the Uzbek trade minister visited Egypt last month to discuss enhancing cooperation and encouraging future investment.

The delegation had talks with the Egyptian ministers of military production, investment, tourism, transport, health, trade and youth on several issues, topped by the convocation of the seventh Egyptian-Uzbek committee.