CAIRO, Dec 20 (MENA) – President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his appreciation for the strategic relations between Egypt and Russia, which continue to grow across various political, economic, and commercial fields.
He highlighted the importance of further enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly regarding the Russian industrial zone project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Dabaa nuclear power plant project, as well as other strategic cooperation files between the two countries.
The president’s remarks came during a meeting held Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Presidential Spokesman Mohamed el Shennawy said that president Sisi opened the meeting by asking minister Lavrov to convey his greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
For his part, Lavrov conveyed president Putin’s greetings and appreciation to president Sisi, expressing Russia’s desire to continue working with Egypt to further elevate bilateral relations to broader horizons.
He also expressed Russia’s commitment to building on agreements reached between the two presidents during President Sisi’s visit to Russia in May 2025.
The spokesperson further mentioned that president Sisi praised the convocation of the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, which is being hosted by Egypt.
He emphasized the significance of the conference in exploring ways to deepen the partnership between African countries and Russia, including through strengthening economic and developmental cooperation for the mutual benefit of both sides, as well as promoting peace and stability in Africa and advancing the implementation of the 2063 Agenda.
In this context, the Russian foreign minister expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s hosting of the ministerial conference, adding that Russia looks forward to hosting the third version of the conference in 2026.
He also expressed Russia’s interest in holding a Russia-Arab states summit in the coming year.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the meeting discussed several regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Gaza, Sudan, and Libya.
The importance of stopping the war in Gaza, stabilizing the ceasefire, and preventing escalation in the region, while maintaining the sovereignty of countries and the integrity of their territories and resources, were also emphasized.
In this regard, the Russian foreign minister expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s role in supporting stability in the Middle East, praising the political coordination and consultations between the two countries, and stressing the importance of intensifying these consultations on issues of common interest.
The spokesperson further indicated that the meeting also touched upon developments in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and ongoing efforts to resolve it.
President Sisi reiterated Egypt’s support for all efforts aimed at resolving the crisis through political solutions, reaffirming Egypt’s readiness to provide all necessary support for international efforts in this regard. (MENA)
