Cairo, 11 February 2024 (TDI): Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, and Maria Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria and Minister of Foreign Affairs, engaged in a constructive meeting in Cairo. During the meeting, both leaders emphasized the significance of the cooperation between Egypt and Bulgaria in the MENA region.
The discussions between the two officials mainly focused on enhancing collaboration across various sectors to ensure regional stability, economic growth, and increased connectivity.
During the meeting, Madbouly highlighted the fruitful cooperation between Egypt and Bulgaria, particularly in achieving food security. He expressed Egypt’s eagerness to increase imports of wheat and oil seeds from Bulgaria while offering Egyptian vegetables and citrus for export to Bulgaria.
Moreover, he underscored Egypt’s commitment to fostering cooperation between the private sectors of both countries, particularly in information technology, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.
He also welcomed the prospect of establishing a zone allocated for Bulgarian companies in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, aiming to enhance trade and investment between Egypt and Bulgaria.
In return, Bulgaria could serve as a strategic hub for directing Egyptian exports towards the European Union and providing logistical and storage support in Southeast Europe and the Balkans.
Furthermore, Madbouly discussed Egypt’s collaborative efforts with the European Union to tackle irregular migration. He highlighted Egypt’s initiatives aimed at providing training programs for Egyptian individuals, emphasizing the goal of facilitating legal employment opportunities for Egyptian laborers abroad.
He also emphasized the potential for enhancing cooperation in renewable energy, including projects related to green hydrogen and electricity linkage with several European countries.
Regional tensions
Along with, the meeting addressed regional tensions, particularly the crisis in Gaza. Both leaders stressed the importance of finding a swift resolution and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need.
Prime Minister Madbouly reiterated Egypt’s support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and ongoing diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict.
Gabriel emphasized the urgency of finding a resolution to the Gaza crisis promptly. She underscored the importance of securing the immediate release of captives, emphasizing the role of regional parties in resolving the crisis.
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Besides, she expressed her backing for the two-state solution as a means to address the longstanding issues in the region.
The meeting concluded with the signing of three agreements between Egypt and Bulgaria, including cooperation in natural gas, mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements for diplomatic and service passport holders, and collaboration between defense ministries.
