ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday departed for Egypt on a two-day visit on the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart.
In a video message before departure, the foreign minister said there are vast opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries. He said he will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry on a wide range of bilateral relations.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi noted that Egypt is an important country of Muslim Ummah and is called the gateway to Africa. He said that promoting trade relations with Africa is a priority of the government. He said during his stay in Egypt, he also intends to visit Al-Azhar University and hoped to take advantage of their experiences in the field of education.
According to the Foreign Office, Qureshi will hold detailed consultations with his Egyptian counterpart and call on other dignitaries. He will also interact with leading Egyptian businessmen and members of the Pakistani community.
The Foreign Office said the visit is taking place against the backdrop of meetings between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on the sidelines of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Makkah Summit in 2019, and the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2019.
During these meetings, the spokesman said the two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and enhance high-level exchanges.
Last year, the prime minister also had a telephonic conversation with the Egyptian president regarding his ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries which was supported by Egypt.
