President Sisi discusses ways to strength bilateral relations with Guinea-Bissau President
CAIRO – 6 February 2024: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Sisi received on Thursday a phone call from President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, stated that the call touched on ways to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields.
President Sisi commended the historical ties between Egypt and Guinea-Bissau, affirming Egypt's readiness to offer all necessary support to build the capacities of personnel in Guinea-Bissau in priority sectors. The significance of transferring Egyptian expertise to contribute to enhancing Guinea-Bissau's development path and achieving the aspirations of its people was confirmed during the call.
The two presidents reviewed developments in the region, including the situation in the Gaza Strip.
They affirmed the cruciality of fully implementing the ceasefire agreement in the sector, releasing hostages and detainees, and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid.
President Sisi and the President of Guinea-Bissau reiterated the necessity to accelerate the reconstruction process of the sector and start a political process based on the two-state solution to achieve lasting peace. Regarding the Libyan crisis, they pointed out the need to work towards a peaceful settlement condusive to the restoration of peace and stability in the country.
The two presidents underscored the essentiality to continue joint coordination on issues related to the African continent and the African Union. President Embaló expressed his country's great appreciation for Egypt and its historical role in supporting the people of Guinea-Bissau. He also lauded Egypt's leading role on the African continent and its effective contribution to representing the interests of the African peoples and safeguarding the security and safety of African countries and the future of their peoples.
President Sisi and President Embaló concurred on the need to continue working to strengthen bilateral relations in line with the aspirations of the two peoples, with a focus on forging closer collaboration in the economic field and increasing trade exchange. They also agreed to provide the necessary support to Guinea-Bissau to address security challenges, combat extremist ideology and strengthen state institutions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily News Egypt
34 minutes ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt's President, Oman's Sultan discuss de-escalating Iran-Israel conflict
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq discussed regional developments in a phone call on Tuesday, with Sisi stressing the importance of halting the current escalation between Israel and Iran, the Egyptian presidency said. A statement from the presidency spokesman said Al-Sisi warned of the serious consequences of expanding the circle of conflict in the region and emphasised the need to return to negotiations to prevent bloodshed. The president also praised Oman's role in mediating between Iran and the United States, affirming the need to restore and strengthen the negotiation process to spare the region from war. For his part, the Sultan of Oman commended Egypt's efforts to stop violence in the region and affirmed his country's keenness to work jointly on the matter. Egyptian Presidency spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy added that both leaders stressed the priority of working towards a ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave 'to save its people from the humanitarian tragedy they are facing due to the Israeli aggression.' They also stressed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the fundamental guarantee for sustainable stability in the Middle East. The spokesperson added that the two leaders affirmed the depth of Egyptian-Omani relations and their keenness to advance joint work in various fields, in line with the historical ties between the two countries.
Daily News Egypt
34 minutes ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt launches initiative to renovate 80,000 homes in rural villages
Egypt has launched a corporate social responsibility initiative to renovate and upgrade 80,661 homes for vulnerable families in villages targeted by the first phase of the presidential 'Decent Life' initiative. The 'Decent Housing for a Decent Life' programme was launched at an event attended by senior officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. The initiative aims to unite the efforts of the government, private sector companies, banks, and civil society organisations to improve housing conditions in 1,477 villages across 20 governorates. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Misr El Kheir Foundation, the Orman Association, and the Hayah Karima Foundation. Manal Awad, the minister of local development, said the government seeks to build a broad partnership to finance the project. 'The government is seeking to build a broad partnership with banks and companies within the framework of their social responsibilities, and with civil society organisations, to upgrade and develop the homes of 80,661 families,' she said. The initiative has already raised EGP 377m in donations from the government, civil society, and the private sector, announced Maya Morsy, the minister of social solidarity, during a fundraising drive at the launch event. Awad described the parent 'Decent Life' initiative, launched by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2019, as 'an unprecedented qualitative shift in the history of the Egyptian countryside.' She stated that the first phase of the 'Decent Life' initiative is 90% complete, with 27,334 projects implemented at a cost of EGP 360 billion, serving 18 million citizens. The projects include developing infrastructure such as water, sanitation, electricity, and roads, as well as improving social services like schools and hospitals. The new 'Decent Housing' initiative aims to ensure that families in dilapidated homes can fully benefit from the state's large-scale infrastructure investments. A detailed survey was conducted by the ministries of local development and social solidarity, in partnership with the civil society organisations, to identify the families in need. A steering committee chaired by Mohamed Farid Hegazy, a presidential advisor for the 'Decent Life' initiative, will oversee the programme's implementation. Awad outlined a framework for governance and quality assurance, which includes a joint financial account for the three implementing foundations, oversight from the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and quality control checks by engineering committees. This will ensure transparency and efficiency in the use of funds. The minister detailed a clear division of roles: The private sector and banks: Provide funding through their corporate social responsibility budgets. Provide funding through their corporate social responsibility budgets. Civil society organisations: Design and execute the renovation, rehabilitation, and furnishing of homes, using local contractors and labour to create jobs. Design and execute the renovation, rehabilitation, and furnishing of homes, using local contractors and labour to create jobs. Government ministries and governorates:Facilitate permits, licenses, and utility connections to streamline the process for the implementing organisations.
Daily News Egypt
34 minutes ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt aims to cut external debt by $1-2bn annually, presidency says
Egypt is targeting an annual reduction in the external debt of its budget authorities by $1bn to $2bn, the Egyptian Presidency said on Tuesday, as part of a plan to enhance fiscal discipline for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The target was announced following a meeting between Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk. During the meeting, the finance minister also presented results from a tax facilitation initiative, which has yielded EGP 54.76bn in additional declared taxes. The figure came after more than 450,000 new or amended tax returns were submitted. The presidency statement noted that 110,000 requests to voluntarily settle tax disputes had been submitted as of 19 June2025, reflecting what the minister described as taxpayers' confidence and positive engagement with the 52,901 taxpayers have applied for incentives and tax breaks available to projects with an annual turnover not exceeding EGP 20m. A review of the fiscal performance from July 2024 to May 2025 showed a large primary surplus and a reduced overall deficit. Tax revenues grew by 36%, which was attributed to improved economic activity and an expanded tax base without imposing new burdens, alongside continued spending rationalisation. The finance minister also reviewed the progress of reforms under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and the ongoing negotiations to reach an agreement on the fifth review and the disbursement of its related tranche. The discussion addressed global economic volatility and the impact of geopolitical events, particularly the conflict between Iran and Israel, on market uncertainty, shipping costs, and some commodity prices. According to the spokesman, President Al-Sisi directed the government to learn from successful international experiences to stabilise fiscal and tax policies, aiming to improve the business climate, expand the tax base, attract investment, and boost production, exports, and employment. The president also called for continuing efforts to enhance fiscal discipline while supporting allocations for social protection and human development, urging that all necessary financial and commodity precautions be taken in light of regional developments.
