Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed with Slovenian President Borut Pahor on Monday ways of boosting bilateral relations between the two countries, a statement by the Egyptian presidency read. In a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, El-Sisi praised Pahor's efforts in strengthening relations between Egypt and Slovenia. “I am sure that the Slovenian president's visit to Cairo will contribute to giving a new push to developing the relationship between the two countries,” El-Sisi said. El-Sisi said that his talks with Pahor included a discussion on methods of developing all aspects of bilateral ties in the economic, trade, and cultural fields. “I would like to praise the organisation of several events on the sidelines of the visit, which aim to give a push to the economic relationship between Egypt and Slovenia, including the Egyptian-Slovenian business forum on Tuesday,” El-Sisi added. The Egyptian president added that the discussions also included developments in the Middle East in light of the crisis facing various countries in the region and the hardships faced by people who have been affected. El-Sisi said that both leaders aim to resolve such calamities through political solutions that ensure the rights of the people who suffer the consequences of such disasters. An Egyptian presidency statement also said that Pahor stressed the importance of Egypt for the European Union as well as the country's pivotal role in securing stability in the Middle East. Pahor also thanked El-Sisi for his vision of the Middle East and the direct affect Egypt has on Europe's stability in light of terrorism threats and the “illegal immigrant influx.” Pahor pointed out the huge potential for cooperation and expressed hope that his visit would aid in developing trade and economic relations between Egypt and Slovenia. Slovenia's president is set to meet with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal during his two-day visit. The visit marks the first time that a president from the central European country has visited Egypt since 1991. According to Slovenia's Ambassador to Egypt Tatiana Meskova, Egypt and Slovenia are expected to sign several memorandums of understanding on investment, the environment, media and consumer protection.
