Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt (AER) Sameh Shoukry will hold talks in Moscow on Monday. The Egyptian foreign minister is in Russia on an official visit from October 3 to 5.
The previous time Shoukry visited Moscow was October 27-31, 2020. On April 11-12, the Russian foreign minister visited Cairo. Since 2013, there have been five rounds of talks between the foreign and defense ministers of Russia and Egypt in the "two plus two" format.
On the eve of the ministers' meeting, the Russian MFA reported that the sides would consider topical issues of further expanding Russian-Egyptian cooperation in political, trade and economic and cultural and humanitarian areas.
"The foreign ministers of the two countries will exchange views on current international and regional issues with a focus on the need to resolve crisis situations in the Middle East and on the African continent by political and diplomatic methods," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Leading partner on the African continent
Moscow sees Egypt as one of Russia's leading partners in the Middle East and North Africa region, the Russian foreign ministry said. At the upcoming meeting, according to the Russian MFA, the ministers plan to consider topical aspects of the development of bilateral political dialogue at the highest and highest levels.
The foreign ministry stressed that the relations between Moscow and Cairo "have always been based on the traditions of friendship, respect and mutual interests". Moscow attaches special importance to maintaining a high level of cooperation with Egypt, said the deputy director of the Department of information and press of the Russian MFA, Alexei Zaytsev, at a briefing on September 30. A weighty and qualitative impetus to the relations between the two countries, recalled Smolensk Square, was given by the Treaty on comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation signed by the leaders of the two states in Sochi in October 2018.
"We expect that the upcoming visit will further promote our multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership with Egypt in the interests of the peoples of the two countries, strengthening peace and stability in the Middle East and the African continent," the Russian diplomatic office said in a statement.
Fighting the pandemic
The Russian MFA expects that much attention at the meeting will be paid to cooperation in combating the new coronavirus infection, as well as to the strengthening of cultural and humanitarian ties. The Year of humanitarian cooperation between Egypt and Russia, postponed for a year because of the pandemic, started in Cairo in late June. The Year of humanitarian cooperation is scheduled to end in Moscow in May 2022.
Egypt's first and most reliable nuclear power plant
At the upcoming talks, Lavrov and Shoukry will discuss the implementation of joint large-scale projects, the most important of which are the construction of Egypt's first nuclear power plant in El Dabaa and the creation of a Russian industrial zone near the Suez Canal, the Russian foreign ministry said.
The project of the industrial park for Russian companies in eastern Port Said envisages the creation of a special zone with a favorable tax regime and preferential rates for energy resources for Russian residents. The nuclear power plant in El Dabaa will consist of four power units with advanced "three plus" generation reactors, which will ensure the highest level of plant and site safety in accordance with the standards of the International atomic energy agency (IAEA), said representatives of the project in Cairo. Egypt's nuclear and radiological regulatory authority is reviewing documents for the license to build the plant's first and second units.
Increasing turnover
The pandemic of the new coronavirus infection has had a negative impact on the dynamics of trade between the two countries. Thus, in 2020, the volume of mutual trade decreased by almost a third compared to 2019, from $6.25 billion to $4.54 billion. At the same time, on August 9, 2021, regular air service between Russian cities and resorts on the Red Sea, suspended in 2015, was launched.
The foreign ministry expects the two sides to exchange views on further enhancing cooperation in the trade and economic sphere. An important role in promoting business cooperation between the two countries is played by the Joint Russian-Egyptian commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, at its thirteenth meeting in Moscow on June 23-24, 2021, the parties discussed the forthcoming agreement on free trade between the EAEU and Egypt.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS