Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his counterparts from Djibouti and Nigeria on Sunday on the sidelines of a preparatory ministerial meeting for an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit. Abdelatty met with Mahmoud Ali Yousif, Djibouti's Foreign Minister, and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigeria's Foreign Minister, to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional issues. During his meeting with Yousif, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt's commitment to strengthening relations with Djibouti across all sectors. He highlighted the recent progress made in economic and political ties, citing a recent phone call between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh on October 30 as evidence of the strong relationship. "Egypt is committed to intensifying joint efforts to bolster economic and political cooperation with Djibouti, in line with the historical ties and strong bonds between the two countries," Abdelatty said. The two ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in the economic, trade, and logistical sectors, and to strengthen ties between their respective private sectors.
The meeting also discussed regional developments, including the situation in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. Both ministers affirmed their shared belief in respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, as well as ensuring freedom of international navigation. They also agreed on the importance of strengthening cooperation and coordination between their countries within regional organisations, particularly the African Union and the League of Arab States. During his meeting with Tuggar, Abdelatty emphasised the long-standing relationship between Egypt and Nigeria. He expressed Egypt's desire to build upon the strong relations and available resources of both countries to enhance bilateral ties, particularly in the economic, trade, and investment sectors. He highlighted the extensive activities of Egyptian companies operating in Africa, particularly in construction, engineering, and energy, and said he hoped to explore new investment opportunities in joint ventures that would benefit both countries. Abdelatty also reiterated Egypt's willingness to enhance joint cooperation with Nigeria and provide the necessary support to counter terrorism and extremism in the Sahel region. "Egypt commends Nigeria's success in significantly reducing the threat posed by terrorist organisations and we are committed to continuing our support through training programs organised by the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, as well as through the efforts of Al-Azhar in combating extremist ideologies and training imams," he said. The two ministers discussed collaborative approaches to strengthening peace and security on the continent, coordinating positions within the African Union and mutual support for international nominations within regional and international organisations.
