Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Wednesday in Sofia, Bulgaria ways to boost bilateral relations with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement. Shoukry stressed Egypt's keenness to enhance relations with Bulgaria on all levels, especially in light of the successful visit by the Bulgarian prime minister to Cairo in October. The visit witnessed an agreement to form a joint committee under the foreign ministers of both countries. During his meeting with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Shoukry praised the historical ties between Egypt and Bulgaria. Shoukry and Radev highlighted the importance of boosting joint economic cooperation in light of the trade exchange between the two countries, which has exceeded 1 billion euros. The two sides agreed on the need to activate the joint business council and bolster cooperation in the energy field as Egypt is poised to become a regional hub for this sector in the Middle East, the spokesman said. The meeting also covered countering terrorism, where Shoukry discussed Egypt's efforts to fight this phenomenon and the role played by Al-Azhar as a beacon of moderation. The foreign minister apprised Radev about Egypt's achievements in curbing the flow of irregular migrants to Europe.
