Doha: Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt H E Dr. Mostafa Kamal Madbouly said yesterday that relations between Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt are witnessing further cooperation and harmony at all levels, culminating in a 2021 exchange of visits between both countries’ leaders.
In an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), he congratulated the people and leadership of Qatar on the successful FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 hosting, pointing out that the achievement confirms Arab countries’ potentials to organise major international events, and highlights their highly efficient, skilled and accurate human resources and cadres.
Commenting on the Qatar-Egypt ties, he revealed his country’s aspirations to develop bilateral cooperation and coordination in various fields, especially investment cooperation, and working to stimulate trade exchange in the interest of both brotherly peoples, noting that the visit of the ministerial delegation to the State of Qatar coincides with the recent positive development in relations between the two countries.
His Excellency said that his visit included discussions with the Qatari side on a number of issues and topics that contribute to strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all fields. The discussions covered the positive developments in Egypt over the past few years, the national projects adopted by the state in the fields of clean and conventional energy, and the country’s boom in transport and communications infrastructure and new smart cities, especially the new administrative capital, in cooperation with private sector companies, he added.
The discussions also dealt with the most important features of the projects of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the first phase of the proposals program, and the finalisation of the state ownership document, which includes the activities and sectors from which the state will withdraw in accordance with international standards, he told QNA.
His Excellency stressed that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries does not match the level that they aspire to reach, praising in this context the visit made by president and members of the Qatari Businessmen Association to Cairo in October 2022, and their meeting with President of the Arab Republic of Egypt H E Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The Prime Minister highlighted the newly signed Double Taxation Agreement between the ministries of finance in both countries to avoid double taxation and fiscal evasion in a bid to enhance bilateral investment cooperation, as well as a number of memoranda of understanding (MoU) between Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population and Qatari companies to bolster bilateral cooperation in establishing, operating and developing medical facilities in Egypt.
He highlighted the visit of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Egypt in June, where His Highness was welcomed by President El Sisi. He noted that, during the visit, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations, especially in the agricultural and energy sectors, as well as investment cooperation, and revitalising trade exchange.
Relations between the two countries saw a remarkable development following the Al-Ula Declaration sealed in Jan. 2021, His Excellency said, alluding to an agreement reached at the conclusion of the 41st GCC Summit to end a four-year diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on one side and Qatar on the other side. Highlighting this development, he said that about 261 Qatari companies operate in Egypt, with a Qatari capital of $2.165bn, including $249m in the tourism sector, about $208m in the construction sector, and about $36m in the industrial sector.
In March 2022, Qatar announced pumping $5bn investments in Egypt, on the sidelines of the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to Cairo.
At the same level, he praised the Qatar’s position in support of Egypt and Sudan regarding the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and Qatar's emphasis on multiple occasions on the importance of reaching a fair, balanced, and binding solution that achieves the common interests of Egypt, Sudan and all Nile Basin countries, urging the parties involved to refrain from taking unilateral measures that would harm the rest of the Nile Basin countries.
The Prime Minister concluded his dialogue with QNA by saying that he looks forward to more coordination with the Qatari side in international and regional forums and organisations in order to reduce regional tensions and to reach political settlements to the crises of the Arab Region.
