Mariya Gabriel: Cooperation, connectivity and strategic development are at the heart of Bulgaria — Egypt relations
10 February 2024 News
The first meeting of the Bulgaria-Egypt Joint Cooperation Commission was held
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel is on an official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt at the invitation of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. This is the first visit of a Bulgarian foreign minister to Egypt in more than 12 years.
The first meeting of the Bulgaria-Egypt Joint Cooperation Commission, the establishment of which was announced in 2018, was held during the visit. The Commission is chaired by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
‘The Arab Republic of Egypt is a key partner of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Middle East and North Africa region. Bulgaria highly values its relations with Egypt — a country with which we have the longest-standing partnership in the Middle East and Africa region. We have an active dialogue centred on mutual respect and common interests’, the Deputy Prime Minister said.
The Bulgarian delegation, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, included Minister for Defence Todor Tagarev, Minister for Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov, Minister for Economy and Industry Bogdan Bogdanov, Minister for Innovation and Growth Milena Stoycheva and Minister for Energy Rumen Radev.
The discussion focused on the opportunities for cooperation in areas such as the economy, new technologies, energy, green hydrogen, trade, agriculture and innovation. The expansion of trade relations, investment, people-to-people contacts, support for talent and the role of education were also discussed.
An important outcome of today's visit was the signing of three important documents: an agreement on mutual exemption from the requirement to hold short-term residence visas for holders of diplomatic and service passports, for defense cooperation and for cooperation in the field of natural gas.
‘Let this be a foundation on which to build the partnership between Bulgaria and Egypt, to respond to common challenges and to contribute to a more secure future for the benefit of the citizens’, Mariya Gabriel concluded and expressed hope for a future visit of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Bulgaria.
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