State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Egyptian Senate Chairman Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek met to discuss the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, as well as cooperation in the humanitarian and social spheres, the State Duma website reported on Friday.
"We must do everything to ensure that mutual understanding grows between our parliaments in the interests of the citizens of our countries. We need to make the inter-parliamentary format more effective. And this requires new forms of cooperation," Volodin said in a statement.
During the meeting, parliamentarians noted the growth of trade turnover between Russia and Egypt - Volodin stressed that in the eight months of 2021 it increased by 34.5%. Participants of the meeting also discussed the exchange of students. "Egyptian students make up one of the largest communities of students here in Russia," Volodin said, stressing that Egypt is among the ten countries from which most young people come to Russia for education.
In turn, the speaker of the Egyptian Senate noted that the intensification of interaction between the parliaments of the two countries can contribute to the implementation of bilateral projects. "Many economic projects that are important for our countries are being implemented. And we are very pleased that Russia takes part in their implementation," he stressed.
The politician also recalled that representatives of the Egyptian Senate were observers at the last elections to the State Duma, noting the high democratic level of the election campaign in Russia.
Volodin thanked Abdel Razek for the meeting and expressed the hope that it will become "a good stimulus for more effective development of relations". In response, the chairman of the Egyptian Senate invited Volodin to visit Cairo, and the speaker of the State Duma accepted the invitation. As Volodin reminded, in connection with this year's pandemic, the international forum "Development of Parliamentarism" did not take place. However, the speaker expressed hope that it would be possible to resume this format of interaction next year.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS