Egypt and South Africa discuss protecting human rights and enhancing transparency

Written by Mohamed Salem 

MP Tarek Radwan, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Egyptian House of Representatives, received Kholika Jakalika, Ombudsman of the Republic of South Africa (Attorney General), during her first official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the head of a high-level delegation.

The meeting was attended by Mohamed Farid, the committee's deputy chairman, Dr. Nancy Naeem, a committee member, and Dr. Nevin Iskandar, a member of the Egyptian House of Representatives.

Strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences

The meeting witnessed extensive discussions on ways to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences between the two sides in the field of supporting and protecting human rights, and activating the role of national institutions concerned with oversight and promoting transparency.

During the meeting, MP Tarek Radwan stressed the keenness of the Human Rights Committee of the Egyptian House of Representatives to be open and cooperative with its counterparts from international and regional institutions, in order to contribute to the exchange of best practices and the promotion of a culture of human rights, praising the role played by the Office of the Public Protector in South Africa in consolidating the principles of justice and accountability.

Supporting bilateral relations between Egypt and South Africa

For her part, Kholika Jaglica expressed her appreciation for the warm welcome, praising the Egyptian experience in developing the legislative and institutional framework concerned with human rights, and stressing her aspiration to strengthen aspects of joint cooperation during the next stage.

This meeting comes within the framework of supporting bilateral relations between Egypt and South Africa, and enhancing cooperation in areas of common interest, especially those related to human rights issues and institutional capacity building.

Dr. Ahmed Ehab Gamal El-Din, President of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights, received Kholika Jakleka, Ombudsman of South Africa (Attorney General), and her accompanying delegation, in the presence of Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat, Vice President of the Council, as part of her visit to Egypt.

The visit comes as part of both sides’ keenness to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences, as Jaklika also holds the position of President of the Center for Studies and Research of the African Ombudsmen and Mediators Association, which includes more than 47 institutions across the continent, including the National Council for Human Rights.

Jamal al-Din stressed that this visit embodies the importance of deepening cooperation with mediation and human rights institutions in the African continent, and learning about comparative experiences in the work of independent national institutions.