Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Tuesday with Algeria's Prime Minister Seifi Ghrib, reaffirming the strategic nature of relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to expanding cooperation across multiple fields, the Egyptian presidency said. Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said Al-Sisi opened the meeting by emphasising the "deep historical bonds" between Egypt and Algeria and the growing momentum in bilateral relations in recent years. He conveyed his greetings to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and wished Algeria continued progress and prosperity. Ghrib, for his part, delivered President Tebboune's greetings to Al-Sisi and affirmed Algeria's determination to build on the agreements reached during Tebboune's visit to Cairo in October 2024. He also congratulated Egypt on the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the election of former antiquities minister Khaled El-Enany as UNESCO Director-General. According to El-Shennawy, the discussions reflected a mutual desire to expand cooperation in agriculture, industry, education, energy, telecommunications and information technology, alongside enhanced political coordination on bilateral and regional issues. Al-Sisi welcomed the convening of the 9th session of the Egyptian-Algerian Joint Higher Committee in Cairo and stressed the importance of building on its outcomes to advance economic, trade and investment ties. The talks also explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in development, infrastructure and new urban communities, as well as prospects for increasing mutual investments, including encouraging Egyptian companies to expand their presence in Algeria. El-Shennawy said regional developments were a central focus of the meeting, particularly the situation in Gaza. Al-Sisi reiterated Egypt's ongoing efforts with all parties to implement the ceasefire agreement endorsed by the UN Security Council, ensure adherence to the truce, prevent violations and increase the flow of humanitarian aid. He noted Egypt's plans to host an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza and highlighted the urgent need to halt abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank. Al-Sisi also praised Algeria's "positive and principled role" during its recent term on the UN Security Council, especially its efforts in defending Arab causes, foremost among them the Palestinian issue. The two leaders exchanged views on wider regional crises, underscoring the need to prevent escalation due to its potentially severe consequences, uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, protect civilians and end all forms of violations.
