South Korean Ambassador Hong Jin-wook met Monday with Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat to exchange opinions regarding the bilateral development cooperation efforts this year and ways to strengthen ties in the future. Ambassador Hong mentioned that since Egypt became an official development assistance (ODA) priority partner country in 2021, the development cooperation between two countries has continued to be strengthened and added that trusted relationship was reinforced through Korean President's visit to Egypt in January this year and phone call between two Presidents, Yoon Suk Yeol and Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, on 20 October. He highlighted the fruitful outcomes such as contract for manufacture and supply of 320 subway vehicles with Hyundai Rotem, contract for the joint manufacturing of K-9 Howitzers and exchange of note for establishing public e-procurement system were made after aforementioned President's visit. Moreover, he mentioned that the volume of bilateral development cooperation continues to expand including the MOU on financial cooperation with $1bn of EDCF signed in January this year and $460 m of EDCF in contract for manufacture and supply of subway vehicles with Hyundai Rotem. He expressed his satisfaction on successful bilateral development cooperation because it not only helps to boost the economic development of Egypt but also contributes to improving the quality of Egyptian people's lives. He also expressed his hope to expand bilateral cooperation to future-oriented fields such as renewable energy, space and aviation in the future. Minister Al-Mashat expressed her gratitude for the Korean government's tireless efforts in strengthening bilateral cooperation including designating Egypt as an ODA priority partner country. Moreover, she mentioned that she is very happy because development cooperation through EDCF and KOICA is more active than ever before amid the continued win-win cooperation between two countries, and emphasized that continuous seeking creative cooperation ways together is important to maintain this momentum. Both sides agreed to explore more development cooperation projects in various fields.
