President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Vietnamese President Luong Cuong were beaming with enthusiasm as both countries leveled up their relationship into a comprehensive partnership.
The Vietnamese president was in Cairo to sign two memoranda of understanding for economic and local development, with a focus on strengthening bilateral collaboration in important areas.
Elevated Partnership
President Sisi received President Cuong and celebrated the strengthening bilateral relationship during a joint news conference in Cairo.
Sisi then expressed hope for more co-operation between Egypt and Vietnam and their people.
He emphasised that both nations have unrealised potential, pointing out that Vietnam could give Egypt access to Southeast Asian markets, while Egypt could act as Vietnam’s entryway to the Middle East and Africa, according to a report by Daily News Egypt.
According to the statement from Sisi’s office, the partnership centred on increasing trade volumes and investment flows, paying special attention to the food, pharmaceutical, digital transformation, infrastructure, renewable energy, electric vehicles, textiles and renewable energy sectors.
Additionally, the two parties decided to expand educational and cultural relations, including providing Al-Azhar University with scholarships for Vietnamese students.
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Ongoing Gaza War
The top officials also discussed the ongoing war in Gaza, in which Sisi reaffirmed the government’s stance on de-escalation, facilitation of humanitarian aid, mediation efforts for the release of hostages, along with the co-operation of Qatar and the United States.
“The war in Gaza has gone far beyond any political objectives – it has become a war of starvation and genocide aimed at eliminating the Palestinian cause,” Sisi said.
“We are ready to facilitate aid at any time, but we will never accept the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.”
Moreover, he noted that the Rafah border crossing has remained open and has been damaged four times throughout the ongoing fighting, refuting claims that Egypt is blocking relief deliveries.
Instead, Sisi stated that Egypt has supplied more than 70 percent of all humanitarian aid that has reached Gaza over the previous 21 months, and there are currently over 5,000 aid vehicles waiting on the Egyptian side.
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