Egypt and Côte d'Ivoire held the third round of political consultations in Cairo on Monday, signing a visa waiver agreement for official passport holders and agreeing to deepen cooperation on a range of political, economic and security issues. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty received his Ivorian counterpart, Léon Kacou Adom, for the talks, which also covered regional developments of mutual interest. According to a joint statement, the two sides affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and coordinating their positions on regional and international issues. They agreed on the importance of exploring ways to elevate the relationship to the level of a comprehensive partnership, in line with the directives of both countries' political leadership. At the conclusion of the talks, the ministers signed an agreement on the mutual exemption of visa requirements for holders of official passports, a move aimed at facilitating the movement of officials and strengthening coordination between the two countries. Abdelatty praised the development in Egyptian-Ivorian relations, reflected in an increased pace of high-level visits and regular meetings between officials. He noted the success of the second round of political consultations last October, which resulted in an agreement to elevate the talks to the ministerial level. The ministers reviewed opportunities for cooperation in various sectors, including agriculture, livestock and fisheries, infrastructure, mining, health, transport, civil aviation and education. Abdelatty highlighted the capabilities and experience of Egyptian companies in supporting development projects in Africa, including the construction of roads and bridges and the localisation of pharmaceutical industries. In the area of capacity building, Abdelatty stressed Egypt's readiness to support Côte d'Ivoire in establishing a diplomatic studies institute. He also underscored Egypt's commitment to intensifying cooperation to support the counter-terrorism capabilities of West African nations, consistent with Egypt's comprehensive approach to combating terrorism through security, political, economic, social and ideological means. He pointed to Egypt's experience and tools, including field training programmes for armed forces and police, missions from Al-Azhar, and peace and development programmes through the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding. The Egyptian foreign minister emphasised the great importance Egypt attaches to achieving security and stability in the Sahel and West Africa, given the impact of instability on the region and on Egypt's national security. The talks also addressed developments in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, and ways to establish peace and security on the African continent. The Ivorian foreign minister praised Egypt's pivotal role in supporting the capacity building of countries in West Africa and the Sahel, as well as its efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. The two ministers agreed to continue coordination in bilateral and multilateral frameworks, including the exchange of support for candidacies in regional and international forums. In this context, Abdelatty valued Côte d'Ivoire's support for the candidacy of Dr. Khaled El-Enany for the post of Director-General of UNESCO. Egypt confirmed its support for the Ivorian candidate for the position of Deputy Director-General of the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union. The two sides also agreed on the importance of holding business forums alongside political consultations as a key part of efforts to boost economic and trade relations. It was agreed that the fourth round of political consultations will be held in Abidjan in 2026, at a date to be mutually determined.
