Sisi, Hungary’s president discuss boosting economic cooperation

CAIRO – 28 November 2019: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday held talks with his Hungarian counterpart, President Janos Ader, during the latter’s official visit to Cairo. Sisi described the talks as fruitful, according to Egyptian media.

In a joint press conference, Sisi said that he, along with President Ader, affirmed the importance of enhancing bilateral relations and exerting much effort to foster economic cooperation and increase the volume of trade exchange.

Sisi also welcomed the flow of Hungarian tourists to Egypt.

Concerning regional issues, Sisi said he agreed with Ader that the international community has to take extra steps to put an end to the conflicts in Syria and Libya, and help provide people of the region with a better future that is full of stability and progress.

Sisi said he reviewed with the Hungarian president Egypt’s efforts within the framework of its chairmanship of the African Union.

For his part, Ader thanked Sisi for inviting him to Egypt, stressing that the delegation accompanying him included officials who visit the African country for the first time.

He said that this is the third meeting between him and President Sisi in two and a half years, affirming that no Hungarian president had visited Egypt in the past 13 years.

Ader also referred to the fight against terrorism, saying that Egypt is an essential partner in the counter-terrorism efforts.

Both presidents last met in New York, on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September this year, where they reviewed efforts to resolve current crises occurring in some states of the region.

They hailed the historic friendly relations between Egypt and Hungary and expressed satisfaction with the level of bilateral ties over the past few years, reflected by three presidential meetings since 2015.

Sisi, during the September meeting, affirmed the need to continue backing relations between the two countries at various levels and to enhance continuous coordination and consultation at the international level, through organizing meetings between high-level officials from both countries and allow periodic political consultation.

In July, 2017, Sisi arrived in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on a three-day official visit, to participate in the summit of the Visegrad Group. Sisi was received by the Hungarian Minister of Defense.

Sisi met during the visit with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, where they held a joint press conference. Sisi referred to the fight against terrorism and discussed ways to boost bilateral relation and enhance coordination in regional and international forums.

Sisi participated in the meetings of the Egyptian-Hungarian business council and delivered a speech in which he said that Egypt is proud of the remarkable development witnessed in relations with Hungary, and looks forward to pushing these relations to broader horizons, especially in terms of economic cooperation.

Sisi also met with President Ader during the visit.

In November of the same year, Hungarian Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover accompanied by a delegation of lawmakers arrived in Cairo, and was received by Egyptian Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal.

Also, in June 2016, Abdel Aal, accompanied by a delegation of MPs, visited Hungary where he met with President Ader who stressed his country's support to Egypt.