Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed a range of issues with Kenyan President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta in Cairo on Sunday, including the latest developments surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), cooperation between Nile Basin countries, counter-terrorism efforts and other matters, according to a statement by ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid. The GERD has been the subject of serious debate between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, and Egypt has pushed for renewed negotiations. Recent negotiations broke down earlier in April after all sides met in Khartoum to resolve an impasse over the validity of technical studies on the dam's potential effect on the ownstream countries of Egypt and Sudan. The situations in both South Sudan and Somalia were also among the topics covered. Both countries have been wracked by years of civil war. During the meeting, Shoukry expressed Egypt's aspiration to continue coordinating with the Kenyan side in light of Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union during 2019. "Egypt will continue to support Kenya's efforts in the field of development, especially through the role the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), which is playing in providing aid, donations and training courses in different developmental fields," the statement read. Kenya became Egypt's number one trading partner in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as it (along with Sudan) benefited more from Egyptian exports to the Organisation than those of any other country. Egypt, in turn, received most Kenyan exports. In 2017, Egypt increased its trade with Kenya to $170 million, or 30 percent more than during the previous year.
