Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty welcomed on Wednesday the growing momentum in Egypt–Netherlands relations in the political, economic, and cultural fields, as well as the increasing pace of high-level visits between the two countries.
He stressed Egypt’s keenness to work closely with the Dutch government to further advance all aspects of bilateral ties, particularly economic cooperation, given the wide opportunities to boost trade exchange.
This came during Abdelatty’s meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Abdelatty voiced hope for greater Dutch investments in Egypt, especially in new economic zones and major national projects, highlighting opportunities in renewable energy.
He welcomed enhanced cooperation on green hydrogen production in light of Egypt’s investment incentives to attract foreign investors.
He also underlined the importance of finalizing the establishment of a business council to facilitate communication between companies and private sector investors from both sides.
The foreign minister praised existing cooperation in the field of migration, which was recently reinforced through the signing of a declaration of intent on expertise exchange and capacity-building, as well as the establishment of a Dutch training center.
He stressed the importance of expanding this cooperation to include employment opportunities, while also welcoming joint efforts in counterterrorism, cultural issues, and academic exchange.
Abdelatty further highlighted Egypt’s strong interest in the recovery of smuggled antiquities.
The two ministers also discussed regional issues of common concern, notably the Palestinian cause.
Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, stressing the need for the EU and its member states to play a more effective role in pressuring Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, given the catastrophic humanitarian conditions there, and to halt settler violations and settlement activity in the West Bank.
He reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of any displacement of Palestinians.
Abdelatty welcomed the recognition of the State of Palestine by a growing number of European and Western countries, voicing hope that more European states
He further noted that recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution remain the only path to regional stability.
For his part, the Dutch foreign minister affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening ties with Egypt in all fields and expressed hope to visit Cairo soon.
He also reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to enhancing all measures to secure diplomatic missions.
Source: Egypt Today
