Egypt on Saturday called for the restoration of inclusivity within the Nile Basin Initiative and the rejection of unilateral measures in the Eastern Nile during talks with Rwanda on the sidelines of the Russian-African Ministerial Forum. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty emphasised the importance of cooperation and integration in the Nile River to achieve mutual benefits. He highlighted the need to adhere to a spirit of consensus and brotherhood among "sisterly countries" in the Southern Nile Basin to restore the initiative's inclusivity, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates. Abdelatty welcomed steps taken in the consultative process approved by the Nile Basin Initiative's Ministerial Council toimplement development projects that serve shared interests in accordance with international law. During the meeting with Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe, Abdelatty said Egypt is working to complete the Egypt-Rwanda Heart Centre, also known as the Professor Dr. Magdi Yacoub Centre. He noted that the first batch of medical equipment has been purchased and called for accelerated fundraising to ensure the centre opens during a high-level visit next year, positioning Rwanda as a medical hub for East and Central Africa. The ministers discussed activating a logistics zone allocated to Egypt in Rwanda, which is intended to house factories and warehouses for Egyptian products targeting Rwandan and regional markets. Abdelatty confirmed Egypt's interest in hosting the third meeting of the Permanent Joint Committee to build on the results of the first business forum and increase bilateral trade and investment. The talks covered expanded cooperation in water resource management, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and housing. Abdelatty also identified new avenues for partnership in telecommunications, information technology, social development, parliamentary cooperation, livestock development, and veterinary vaccines. Regarding regional security, Abdelatty welcomed the signing of the Washington Agreement concerning stability in the Great Lakes region and eastern Congo, stressing the necessity of implementing its terms to reduce escalation. He added that the Washington agreements and the Doha Peace Framework represent the optimal path for peace in the region. On institutional matters, the Egyptian minister stressed that African Union reforms must be "methodical, gradual, and clear," based on the participation of all member states to improve the efficiency of the union's bodies. Egypt has already dispatched experts in rice cultivation and irrigation to Rwanda following a request from the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture, Abdelatty said. He added that the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development will continue providing training programmes in fields including defence, policing, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism. Nduhungirehe praised the momentum in bilateral relations and expressed Rwanda's desire for a visit by the Egyptian President next year to inaugurate the Magdi Yacoub Heart Centre, which he said reflects the depth of the humanitarian and development partnership between the two nations.
