To discuss cooperation, the Foreign Minister leads an Egyptian delegation on a visit to Eritrea.

In a move reflecting the depth of Egypt’s orientation towards strengthening the roots of cooperation with the countries of the African continent, especially the Horn of Africa region, Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, headed today, Saturday, May 16, to the Eritrean capital, Asmara.

This visit comes within the framework of a high-level diplomatic momentum, as the Foreign Minister is accompanied by a large ministerial and economic delegation that includes Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Transport, along with a host of senior Egyptian businessmen and representatives of the private sector, reflecting a sincere desire to translate political consensus into tangible development and investment projects on the ground.

Strategic and economic objectives

This joint visit aims to achieve a set of strategic and economic goals that serve the interests of the two brotherly countries, foremost among them pushing the economic and investment partnership to broader horizons, and exploring opportunities for cooperation in vital areas that represent the backbone of development, most notably the transport, infrastructure, investment, and trade sectors.

The two ministers and their accompanying delegation are scheduled to hold a series of intensive meetings with senior officials in the State of Eritrea, to open new horizons for Egyptian companies and the private sector to contribute to Eritrean infrastructure projects, based on the long experience and great leap that Egypt has achieved in these fields during recent years.

On the political and security front, the visit provides a vital and direct platform for exchanging views on regional issues of mutual interest. Through this high-level coordination, both sides aim to bolster security and stability and achieve sustainable development in the Horn of Africa, a region facing complex challenges that demand the highest levels of consultation and cooperation among influential regional powers. Egypt and Eritrea are at the forefront of these nations, capable of establishing peace and safeguarding shared interests in this sensitive region bordering the Red Sea.

A long history of relations

These current moves are based on a long and established history of Egyptian-Eritrean relations; Egypt was historically one of the first countries to support the aspirations of the Eritrean people and their struggle for independence, and Cairo hosted Eritrean liberation figures and movements and provided them with political, cultural and educational support.

Since Eritrea gained its independence in the 1990s, official relations have been characterized by stability and mutual understanding, and the views of the two leaderships have coincided on many issues, especially those related to the security of the Red Sea and freedom of international navigation, as it is a vital artery that directly affects the national and economic security of the two countries.