Sisi praises ‘diverse partnership’ with Germany following talks with Merkel

CAIRO – 30 October 2018: In a press conference on Tuesday following joint talks in Berlin between President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Sisi praised the bilateral relations between the two countries, saying they represent “a diverse partnership in various fields.”

The talks come after Sisi and Merkel had attended the Second Summit on German-African Partnership on Tuesday, aiming at improving African economies and attracting investments into African markets along with setting up infrastructure projects to upgrade the standards of living of African peoples.

President Sisi, who reached Berlin on Sunday, said during the conference that the two countries’ partnership had been evidenced by the various meetings that he had had with Merkel during the past three years, besides the mutual visits between the officials of the two countries, as well as the outstanding level of bilateral cooperation and continuous coordination on many regional and international cases.

Sisi described his consultation session with Merkel as “constructive,” saying that they had discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations at various levels and exchanged views on issues of mutual concern.

“We affirmed our determination to deepen and develop the horizons of partnership between the two countries in light of the important position occupied by Germany internationally and within the European Union,” Sisi stated.

The Egyptian President who has been in post for about five years, praised, during the Tuesday talks, the progress of bilateral relations in various fields, especially concerning economy, trade and development.

He also praised “Germany’s support to Egypt in its (the latter’s) war against terrorism and forces of extremism and violence,” adding that the two officials affirmed during their meeting, the importance of concerted international efforts to end the global threat of terrorism.

Sisi reviewed Egypt’s efforts in hosting millions of refugees. He also reviewed Egypt’s “remarkable” success in halting illegal immigration flows to Europe since September 2016. He said he had stressed that countries need to address the economic and developmental roots of the problem, as resorting to security solution alone would fall short.

Reiterating his call for political solutions t the Middle East’s conflict, President Sisi said that he exchanged views with the German Chancellor on the latest developments concerning conflicts in the Middle East, reviewing efforts to find peaceful solutions to them.

The President also expressed appreciation for the German support for Egypt's “ambitious” economic reform program.

As tourism undoubtedly represents a crucial sector in Egypt’s foreign income, President Sisi expressed his pleasure for the return of German tourism to Egypt, “to its usual level,” saying that he was carrying “a message of affection and friendship from the Egyptian people to the German people,” expressing hope that German tourists would continue to reach Egyptian destinations.

How Egyptian-German relations recovered during Sisi's rule

CAIRO – 28 August 2018: Following June 30 revolution against the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated former President Mohamed Morsi, Egyptian relations with Germany, along with many other countries, were strained. However, diplomatic, and subsequently economic relations with Germany have been restored in a short time.