Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accepted an invitation to visit Egypt in an effort to boost bilateral relations, extending a reciprocal invitation to Egypt's President Fattah al-Sisi, which the Egyptian leader likewise accepted.
No dates have been announced for the head-of-state visits, which were agreed on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on Monday. However, if Sisi follows through on Turnbull's invitation, he will be the first Egyptian president to make an official visit to Australia.
During their meeting in Hangzhou, Sisi expressed hopes for increased cooperation in all fields, especially land reclamation and water projects, given that Australia has wide expertise in both fields. Turnbull, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation for ongoing positive relations between Egypt and Australia, stating his country’s readiness to offer technical assistance to support priority projects.
The two officials also discussed recent security-related developments in the Middle East, with particular reference to various conflicts and terror threats.
Sisi highlighted importance of unifying the international community in efforts to fight terrorism, emphasising a comprehensive approach that includes social, economic and cultural dimensions, in addition to joint action on the military and security front. He said that such comprehensive efforts should seek to eliminate the circumstances in which terrorism thrives.
He also highlighted the religious and intellectual dimensions of the terrorism issue, emphasising the need to correct religious discourse and spread the more tolerant teachings of Islam.
Sisi praised the contribution of Australian troops to the multinational peacekeeping force in Sinai since 1982.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
