The South Korean government will provide Egypt with $200,000 in emergency assistance for the fight against the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Yeocheol Yoon, South Korean ambassador to Cairo, has announced.
Speaking to Daily News Egypt, Yoon said that the specific details and methods of disbursement are to be decided in consultation with Egypt.
South Korea President Moon Jae-in was planning to visit Egypt and hold talks with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in mid-March. The visit was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ambassador Yoon said.
Due to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, however, the visit was postponed, Yoon added. He also said that both leaders had a cordial and consequential tele-Summit on 6 March, during which they held discussions on the two countries’ cooperation during the pandemic.
Following the phone call, the South Korean embassy has been working closely with the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation and Ministry of Health. The close working relationship will identify the equipment and aid Egypt needs to fight COVID-19, Yoon said.
“I had a very constructive video conference session with Rania Al-Mashat, the Minister of International Cooperation, and various international development partners regarding Egypt’s response to COVID-19 last Thursday,” the ambassador said.
Al-Sisi made a historic visit to South Korea in March 2016, when both sides adopted the Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership which serves as a platform for bilateral cooperation in many areas. The average trade volume between the two countries over the last five years amounted to $1.9bn, while peak trade worth $3bn took place in 2014, according to the embassy’s data.
