Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Egyptians Abroad Badr Abdelatty on Sunday delivered a verbal message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali.
Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid stated that Abdelatty conveyed a verbal message from President El-Sisi to his Kenyan counterpart, which included greetings and appreciation from President El-Sisi to President Ruto, along with congratulations on the announcement of the new Kenyan government formation on August 8th.
Sisi expressed Egypt’s hope that this important development will contribute to continuing the economic development journey launched by President Ruto, as well as the desire to work with the new government to enhance bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest, added the spokesman.
President El-Sisi also extended an invitation for President Ruto to visit Egypt, his second home, in the near future, the spokesman noted.
During the meeting, Minister Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s deep appreciation for its bilateral relations with Kenya, which are characterized by a historic nature at both the popular and official levels.
He praised the high level of coordination between President El-Sisi and President Ruto, as evidenced by the numerous bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of African summits and the telephone communications for coordinating on various issues of mutual concern in recent times.
He emphasized the commitment to maintaining this high level of coordination, reflecting the significance and stature of both brotherly countries on the African stage and the depth of their historical relations.
The official spokesperson added that the foreign minister highlighted the importance of working to strengthen bilateral relations by taking further steps to support frameworks for cooperation in various fields, thereby adding more momentum to the upward trend in bilateral relations and contributing to elevating the relationship to the level of a strategic partnership.
Moreover, the foreign minister discussed enhancing the volume of existing trade and increasing Egyptian investments in Kenya by fostering partnerships with the private sector in various fields, especially in transportation, agriculture, infrastructure, and irrigation.
The spokesperson also noted that Abdelatty commended Kenya’s mediation efforts in South Sudan and the important role Kenya plays in promoting stability in East Africa, stressing Egypt’s keenness to continue its efforts in supporting this path and striving to stabilize this important region.
The meeting also touched on several topics related to African and Middle Eastern issues, including the situation in Sudan and the Gaza crisis, as well as ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries within the African Union and various international forums, the spokesman explained.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson added that President Ruto emphasized the deep historical ties between Egypt and Kenya, asking that his warmest greetings and deep respect be conveyed to President El-Sisi for his leadership role in supporting security and stability in both the Arab and African regions.
President Ruto praised the excellent level of bilateral relations between the two countries, expressing his full agreement on the matter of elevating relations to a strategic level and his eagerness to accept the invitation from President El-Sisi to visit Egypt.
He also stressed the importance of continuing efforts to boost economic and trade relations, as well as the mutual agreement to intensify joint consultations and ongoing coordination on all issues of mutual interest, especially water issues, resolving conflicts through peaceful means, and establishing security and stability at the regional and international levels.
