Egypt and Vietnam signed a raft of cooperation agreements on Tuesday during Vietnamese President Luong Cuong's first state visit to Cairo in seven years, signalling a renewed push to strengthen ties that date back to the 1960s. The deals include a memorandum of understanding on economic development cooperation, signed by Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang. A second agreement covering mutual cooperation in local development was signed by Egypt's Minister of Local Development Manal Awad and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Cao Huy. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President Luong Cuong witnessed the signing ceremony at Cairo's Ittihadiya Palace. The visit is expected to open new avenues for economic engagement and deepen political and cultural ties between the two countries. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English