President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso on Tuesday evening received Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty, who delivered a written message from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reaffirming Egypt's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation in various fields to support security and stability across Africa. Minister Abdel-Aty said his visit aimed to advance economic, investment, and trade ties between the two countries and promote partnerships between their business communities. He noted he was accompanied by a high-level delegation of 30 business leaders and representatives from major Egyptian public and private companies working across sectors. He stressed the readiness of Egyptian companies to continue supporting Burkina Faso's development projects under President Traoré's leadership, particularly in construction, energy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. Abdel-Aty also expressed Egypt's appreciation for Burkina Faso's support of Egypt's candidate Dr Khaled El-Anany for the post of UNESCO Director-General, underlining the importance of continued mutual backing in regional and international organisations. Addressing security challenges in the Sahel region, the minister discussed the impact of terrorist groups in the Lake Chad and Sahel areas. He shared Egypt's comprehensive counterterrorism approach, which includes not only security measures but also developmental, economic, intellectual, and social dimensions. He affirmed Egypt's readiness to share its counterterrorism expertise with Burkina Faso and support its national capacities. He also highlighted Al-Azhar's role in promoting values of moderation and tolerance, its educational and religious missions in Burkina Faso, and the continued enrolment of Burkinabe students at Al-Azhar University in various disciplines. The two sides also reviewed developments in the Sahel and West Africa, with Abdel-Aty confirming the shared vision of both countries on the need to intensify joint African action to promote stability and development and confront the security challenges facing the continent. He reaffirmed Egypt's full support for Burkina Faso and its commitment to strengthening the bilateral partnership. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
