Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Japarov, in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and ways to strengthen economic ties, in the first official visit by a Kyrgyz head of state to Egypt since diplomatic relations were established. The two countries signed two Memoranda of Understanding to boost bilateral cooperation, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. Al-Sisi welcomed Japarov and described the visit as a historic step towards opening new areas of cooperation. He praised Kyrgyzstan's decision to open an embassy in Cairo, calling it a strategic move to strengthen economic, trade, and investment relations. On regional developments, Al-Sisi briefed Japarov on Egypt's efforts to maintain the Gaza ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian aid, and prepare for an international conference on the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza scheduled for late November. Japarov praised Egypt's mediation efforts and stressed the importance of fully implementing the ceasefire agreement. Talks also covered opportunities for Egyptian companies to contribute to development projects in Kyrgyzstan, enhancing trade and investment, joint manufacturing, and cooperation between religious institutions to counter extremism. Separately on Wednesday, an Egyptian-Kyrgyz Business Forum and economic roundtable was held, attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and President Japarov. Japarov said his visit to Egypt was a "historic and important step," and the first by a Kyrgyz president to the African continent. "Visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum yesterday confirmed to me that Egypt is truly the cradle of human civilisation," he said, congratulating Egypt on the museum's official opening.
The Kyrgyz president said he had followed with admiration Egypt's "Vision 2030" development strategy, which he said had achieved great success. He added that his country was ready to build a "strong and sustainable partnership" with Egypt based on cooperation and mutual interests. Japarov highlighted Kyrgyzstan's investment potential, particularly in hydropower, agriculture, logistics, mining, and pharmaceuticals. He noted that his country's GDP had nearly doubled in the last five years, with a growth rate of 10% in the first nine months of the current year. He also pointed to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which he said, when connected to the international rail network and integrated with trade corridors through the Suez Canal, would open new routes linking Central Asia with China, Africa, and Europe. At the forum, Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib, said Egypt has implemented a massive infrastructure development programme over the past decade, with investments exceeding $550bn. He outlined the country's economic reform path, which has seen inflation fall from 33.3% in March 2024 to 11.6% in June 2025, and foreign reserves rise to $49bn from $40bn. El-Khatib welcomed international partners to take advantage of Egypt's competitive advantages, including its strategic location, skilled workforce of over 31 million, and free trade agreements with more than 70 countries. For his part, Kyrgyz Minister of Economy and Commerce, Bakyt Sydykov, said his country looks forward to cooperating with Egyptian companies in mining, food industries, irrigation, livestock breeding, and export-oriented agricultural projects. He highlighted his country's investment potential and advanced infrastructure, such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which he said makes Kyrgyzstan a bridge between continents and a logistics hub.
