President Luong Cuong and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have agreed to elevate the Vietnam-Egypt relationship to a comprehensive partnership, aligning with the aspirations and mutual interests of both nations.

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President Luong Cuong and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meet with the press to announce the results of their official talks. Photo: VNA

On the morning of August 5 (local time), following an official welcome ceremony, President Luong Cuong held bilateral talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

President El-Sisi, on behalf of the Egyptian people, expressed his pleasure in welcoming President Luong Cuong and the First Lady. He called the visit a historic milestone that marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation, more than 60 years after diplomatic relations were established.

A shared admiration and new vision

President El-Sisi expressed deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and praised Vietnam’s heroic history and remarkable development under the leadership of the Communist Party. He affirmed Egypt’s commitment to deepening its traditional and fraternal friendship with Vietnam.

In response, President Luong Cuong thanked Egypt for its warm and respectful hospitality and recalled the deep affection that President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people have held for Egypt.

In a warm and open atmosphere, both leaders exchanged views on the economic and social development of their countries. They welcomed the positive progress in bilateral relations and pledged to create breakthroughs in cooperation across all sectors.

On that basis, and in line with their shared vision of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in their respective regions and beyond, the two sides agreed to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive partnership.

Deeper trust, broader cooperation

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President Luong Cuong holds official bilateral talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Photo: VNA

President Luong Cuong and President El-Sisi reaffirmed their commitment to mutual support and close cooperation. They emphasized deepening political trust and taking bold measures to enhance trade and investment cooperation.

Both sides also discussed expanding collaboration into new areas such as innovation, science and technology, green transition, and digital transformation. They agreed to accelerate the completion of legal frameworks to strengthen the foundation for comprehensive cooperation.

President Cuong announced Vietnam’s readiness to open its market to certain Egyptian goods of interest and called on Egypt to facilitate access for Vietnamese products. Relevant agencies will coordinate procedures based on international norms to implement this commitment.

Vietnam-Egypt as regional connectors

President El-Sisi emphasized Egypt’s strategic position as a gateway linking three continents and its extensive network of free trade agreements. He affirmed Egypt’s readiness to act as a bridge for Vietnamese businesses to access the Middle East and African markets.

Both sides agreed to establish a joint working group to explore the possibility of negotiating a Vietnam-Egypt Free Trade Agreement. They also committed to boosting cooperation in education, people-to-people exchanges, tourism promotion, and cultural outreach.

President Cuong thanked Egypt for offering scholarships in Arabic for Vietnamese students and proposed expanding academic exchanges in new areas such as halal industries, agriculture, international relations, and heritage conservation. He also suggested Egypt share expertise in museum management and sustainable tourism development.

On this occasion, the President requested Egypt continue supporting the Vietnamese community residing, studying, and working in Egypt.

Regional and international cooperation

Discussing regional and global issues of mutual concern, President Cuong praised Egypt’s mediation efforts in regional conflicts.

President El-Sisi welcomed Vietnam’s stance on the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people and agreed that the Two-State Solution remains the key to achieving long-term peace in the Middle East.

On the South China Sea issue, both leaders reaffirmed their support for resolving disputes peacefully, based on international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to ensure peace, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight.

The two leaders agreed to uphold the rule of law, support the UN Charter, and continue close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums on regional and global matters.

Tran Thuong