Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh El-Hefny met with Alhaji Fanday Turay, Minister of Transport and Aviation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in line with directives from Egypt's political leadership to strengthen bilateral relations with African nations. The meeting aimed to explore opportunities for cooperation in training, maintenance, air navigation, aviation services, and the exchange of expertise. Discussions focused on expanding cooperation across key areas, particularly the development of airport infrastructure and the enhancement of training programmes for technical and administrative staff. The two sides also considered updating and broadening the scope of the existing Memorandum of Understanding to reflect regional and international developments in the civil aviation sector, supporting shared development objectives. At the outset of the meeting, El-Hefny emphasised Egypt's commitment to deepening ties with African countries across multiple fields, with civil aviation identified as a crucial pillar for advancing continental integration and economic growth. He affirmed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation stands ready to provide technical and training support to Sierra Leone, drawing on the expertise of the Egyptian Aviation Academy and the EgyptAir Training Academy. El-Hefny also highlighted that Egyptian-African cooperation in air transport extends beyond technical collaboration to include efforts that advance comprehensive development, through enhancing air connectivity, knowledge transfer, and capacity building. This approach, he noted, aligns with Egypt's vision of fostering sustainable development across Africa through greater regional integration. For his part, Alhaji Fanday Turay expressed Sierra Leone's desire to establish a strategic partnership with Egypt, particularly to benefit from Egyptian expertise in human resource development, airport infrastructure, and improving aviation security and safety standards. He described the visit as an important step towards opening broader avenues of cooperation with Egypt, which he praised as a successful model for civil aviation advancement on the continent. "We highly value Egypt's leading role in Africa and look forward to drawing on its experience to build a modern and efficient aviation system in Sierra Leone," Turay said. He also expressed hope for tangible progress through joint training programmes, technical exchange visits, and exploring direct air connectivity between Cairo and Freetown — a move that would help boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between the two countries. At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the importance of ongoing coordination and deepening cooperation in training and technical qualification. Such efforts aim to prepare specialised personnel to meet the growing needs of Sierra Leone's aviation sector, while also enhancing Egyptian-African collaboration in this strategically vital field.
