Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received Saudi Prince Mohamed Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Seoud in Cairo on Tuesday for the second meeting of the Egyptian-Saudi Coordination Council. The meeting, which took place in Cairo, was headed by Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Prince Salman, with parties agreeing on a number of projects, including energy conservation projects, state media reported. Prince Salman, who is deputy crown prince and defence minister of Saudi Arabia, said that there are huge investment opportunities for Saudi Arabia in Egypt. He also stressed the importance of Egypt's role amid current regional challenges, especially concerning the fight against terrorism. The Saudi-led 34-state Islamic military coalition, announced Monday, was also discussed during the talks. The coalition was formed to combat terrorism, and draws together the Gulf States, Egypt and Turkey. Al-Sisi stressed on the importance of Arab cooperation in the face of challenges, with Arab nations uniting to defend shared interests. Ismail stated that the coordination council is a "cornerstone" of Egyptian-Saudi relations, further strengthening bilateral ties and economic, political, social and military development. Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on 11 November to establish a coordination council to execute the components of the Cairo Declaration, which was signed in August. The Cairo Declaration, signed by Al-Sisi and Prince Mohamed Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Seoud, aims at enhancing cooperation between the two countries in six different areas: the military, investment, trade, politics, culture and the media. According to the agreement, meetings are held periodically, with the location shifting between the countries. The first meeting took place on 2 December and the third is expected to be held in Riyadh on 5 January. The coordination council is tasked with the supervision of agreements preparations, memoranda of understanding, and executive programmes between both countries, including the agreement on establishing the United Arab Force.
