Presidents of Azerbaijan and Egypt Hold Expanded Meeting

Baku, The Gulf Observer: President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan held an expanded meeting with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, according to media reports. The leaders expressed mutual satisfaction with the robust bilateral political relations between Azerbaijan and Egypt and praised their cooperation within international organizations, particularly the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

During the meeting, the significance of Egypt’s Presidency of COP27 and Azerbaijan’s upcoming Presidency of COP29 was emphasized, highlighting the importance of cooperation and experience exchange in climate action. Both countries pledged to strengthen collaboration as Egypt hosts the World Urban Forum this year, and Azerbaijan prepares to host the same forum in 2026 under the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT).

The discussions covered various sectors including energy, construction, industry, pharmaceuticals, and transportation. Both presidents highlighted the upcoming meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Egypt and noted the recent visit of an Azerbaijani business delegation to Egypt, which is exploring new cooperation opportunities.

A key topic was the expansion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line and Egypt’s growing economic and commercial relations with Central Asian countries using this route through the Turkish Port of Mersin. The leaders also exchanged views on the North-South Transport Corridor and potential areas of cooperation.

President Al Sisi expressed Egypt’s support for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He commended Azerbaijan for the successful negotiation return of four villages and the progress made in the delimitation and demarcation of borders between the two countries. Furthermore, President Al Sisi highlighted the interest of Egyptian companies in participating in restoration and construction projects in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.