Written by: Badr Ahmed

Ambassador Mayada Essam, Egypt’s ambassador to Zambia, held an official reception on the occasion of His Holiness Theodore II’s visit to Zambia, as part of efforts to strengthen spiritual, cultural and historical ties between Egypt and African countries.

 Egypt supports peace and coexistence in Africa

The reception was attended by a number of officials, diplomats, public figures and clergymen, as well as representatives of African communities and churches. The event reflected the depth of the historical relations that link the Egyptian Orthodox Church with the African continent, and the role it plays in supporting the values of coexistence, tolerance and communication between peoples.

During his speech, His Holiness Pope Theodore II praised the fraternal and historical relations that unite him with Egypt, expressing his appreciation for the role played by the Egyptian state, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in consolidating the concepts of human fraternity, religious tolerance and coexistence, stressing that Egypt represents an important model in supporting the values of peace and stability in the region and the African continent.

The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa also appreciated the support given by the Egyptian leadership to the Orthodox Patriarchate on Egyptian soil, noting that this support reflects the Egyptian state’s keenness to enhance the role of religious institutions in spreading a culture of love, dialogue and rapprochement between peoples.

During the event, Ambassador Mayada Essam stressed the importance of the visit in supporting Egyptian-African relations at the religious, cultural and popular levels, noting that Egypt is keen to enhance its presence in the African continent through various soft power tools, foremost among them historical, religious and cultural ties.

She added that relations between Egypt and Zambia are witnessing continuous development in various fields, in light of Cairo’s interest in strengthening cooperation with African countries and supporting development and stability efforts within the continent.

Pope Theodore II’s visit to Zambia comes as part of his pastoral tours of the African continent, which aim to support communication with churches and followers and promote messages calling for peace and tolerance, in addition to affirming the historical role of the Orthodox Church in Africa.