Egypt, Serbia Sign Several Agreements as President Sisi and Serbian Counterpart Bolster Bilateral Ties

Ahram Online 

Saturday 13 Jul 2024

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić affirmed on Saturday their common aspiration to advance bilateral relations and develop cooperation between both countries.

This came during a press conference as the two leaders witnessed the signing of several deals between the two countries after holding a summit at the Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo.

"We look forward to sharing our diverse experiences and exchanging expertise for the benefit of enhancing peace and stability in the region and the world," El-Sisi said.

From his side, President Vučić praised El-Sisi's leadership, especially in managing the country amidst significant challenges.

"We signed several agreements in various fields aimed at bolstering economic cooperation between both countries," Vučić said.

Deals

According to a statement released by the Egyptian presidency, both presidents expressed a strong desire to build on the positive momentum observed in the Egyptian-Serbian partnership and effectuate a flurry of MoUs and agreements signed ahead of the press conference.

The deals spanned several domains, including trade, labour and employment, communications and information technology, antiquities and museums, and customs.

The two sides viewed these deals as a step toward bolstering economic cooperation further between Egypt and Serbia, the two leaders said during the briefing.

El-Sisi and Vučić also had in-depth discussions on cooperation at the economic, investment, and military levels during today’s meeting, added the statement.

Regional, Int’l crises

During the presser, both presidents stressed the need to establish calm and peace in conflict zones such as Ukraine, Sudan, and Libya.

El-Sisi added that peace must be achieved in these zones “at the earliest opportunity.”

On the Israeli war in Gaza, El-Sisi reiterated the call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the strip, stressing the need to stop targeting civilians in Gaza.

He also emphasized Cairo's rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians, the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, and the use of the Rafah crossing as a tool to tighten the siege on the Gazans.

Furthermore, both sides discussed developments in the Western Balkans region, where El-Sisi underscored the Serbian role in establishing stability and enhancing cooperation in this region.

Historical relations

Egyptian-Serbian relations witnessed unprecedented prosperity during the fifties and sixties, the era of the Non-Aligned Movement, supported by the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel-Nasser and Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito.

In July 2022, President El-Sisi paid his first official visit to the Serbian capital of Belgrade.

President Vučić's visit to Cairo today marked the first visit by a Serbian head of state to Cairo since Boris Tadić's visit to the Egyptian capital in April 2009.

In recent years, Cairo and Belgrade increased coordination in multilateral organisations and forums and on international and regional levels.

Cairo and Belgrade also boosted cooperation in various fields.

Earlier today, President El-Sisi and First Lady Intissar El-Sisi welcomed Serbian President Vučić and First Lady Tamara Vučić at the palace ahead of the summit between the two leaders.