Egypt Seeks to Enhance Political, Security Coordination with Britain

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his country’s aspiration to boost cooperation and political and security coordination with Britain, and enhance Britain’s involvement in Egyptian development plans.

Sisi held talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UK-Africa Investment Summit.

A statement issued by Egypt’s presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said Sisi and Johnson held closed bilateral talks, followed by a meeting with the delegations of the two countries, during which the British premier underlined his keenness on enhancing bilateral relations with Cairo.

“Britain counts on Egypt’s central and active role as a mainstay of stability in the Middle East and Africa,” Johnson said as quoted by Radi.

He also praised the development achieved recently in the economic and social fields, the establishment of major national projects, particularly the new administrative capital, and the improvement of the investment climate.

In this regard, Johnson emphasized Britain’s support for the ambitious measures taken by Egypt to achieve comprehensive development.

Sisi, for his part, expressed his country’s aspiration to maximize bilateral cooperation during the coming period, enhance political and security coordination, and exchange views on various files of common interest.

He said he was looking forward to a greater British involvement in Egypt’s development plans and to further increase investments and economic cooperation between the two sides.

On Monday, the two countries signed a joint statement to enhance economic cooperation, on the sidelines of the UK-Africa Investment Summit.

The statement emphasized Britain’s support for Egypt in strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships with governments, international economic policy-makers, the private sector and civil society to achieve the National Development Agenda 2030.