Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa held a joint press conference in Cairo on Tuesday, following their bilateral talks on various issues of mutual interest. The two ministers expressed their desire to build on the momentum generated by the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister to Egypt in April 2023, which witnessed the upgrading of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Shoukry said that they discussed holding a strategic dialogue between Egypt and Japan in December 2023, and hoped that it would result in concrete actions to implement the declaration on strategic partnership, which he described as a milestone in the Egyptian-Japanese relations. He also thanked Japan for its contributions to the development projects in Egypt, especially the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open soon.
Shoukry added that they discussed the resumption of direct flights between Cairo and Tokyo on September 14, 2023, and welcomed the influx of Japanese investments to Egypt. He said that they also reviewed the challenges facing the international community, especially the economic consequences of the Ukrainian crisis on developing countries.
Shoukry further said that they discussed many regional issues, such as the Palestinian issue and the situations in Libya and Yemen. He briefed his Japanese counterpart on the diplomatic efforts undertaken by Egypt about Sudan, including hosting a summit of Sudan’s neighboring countries in July 2023.
Hayashi said that he was happy to visit Egypt, which he called the largest and most important country in the region. He said that Egypt is an important partner and plays a vital role in the Middle East and Africa. He revealed that the talks covered various aspects of cooperation, such as economic, political, cultural, and educational.
Hayashi said that Japan will continue to support the expansion of Japanese companies in the Egyptian market, and noted that the talks touched on the Grand Egyptian Museum, which he called a symbol of cooperation between Cairo and Tokyo. He also said that Japan is concerned about the Ukrainian-Russian crisis and its impact on global food security.
Hayashi urged the parties to the conflict in Sudan to stop the violence and prevent the humanitarian situation from deteriorating. He said that Japan has provided $90 million in support to Sudan’s neighboring countries to help them cope with the humanitarian crisis. He also welcomed Egypt’s efforts to ease the tension between the Palestinians and Israelis and expressed his hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Hayashi concluded by saying that Egypt, Japan, and Jordan will hold a trilateral meeting shortly to discuss ways of enhancing their cooperation and coordination.
