DOHA: Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in Cairo on an official visit to meet Egypt’s President on Friday.
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed the emir at Cairo airport on his first visit in seven years, El-Sisi's office said.
The two leaders are expected to discuss on Saturday key regional issues ahead of President Joe Biden’s anticipated trip to the Middle East next month and on ways to further improve diplomatic and economic relations, local media reported.
The emir's visit came less than two months after his government announced that it would invest $5 billion in Egypt, another lifeline to the country's economy which has been dealt a blow amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement came during a March visit by Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman.
Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait also held talks on Thursday with his Qatari counterpart Ali Bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum, held in Doha under the theme of “Equalizing Global Recovery.”
The two sides stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation, developing relations, stimulating investments, and developing joint action mechanisms to foster financial visions, positions, and policies at the bilateral and international levels, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Cabinet on Thursday.
“Such progress aims to serve the goals and interests of the two countries and peoples in light of the current global economic challenges, which require concerted efforts to contain the negative repercussions of the war in Europe that is severely affecting the economies of all countries,” the statement said.
* With AP
