Egypt: President El-Sisi Meets the King of Belgium in Brussels

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with His Majesty the King of Belgium, King Philippe, at the Royal Palace of Brussels. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdel-Atty.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El- Shennawy, said the official reception ceremony included the Royal Guard of Honor in the palace courtyard. King Philippe was at the forefront to receive the President and accompanied him to his private office, where a commemorative photo was taken.

King Philippe welcomed the President and expressed his appreciation for his visit, which reflects the deep historical relations between Egypt and Belgium, both at the official and popular levels. The King noted the significant development in coordination and political consultation in recent years and commended Egypt’s intensive efforts, and the President personally, in coordination with the other mediators, to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, stressing that these efforts represent a fundamental pillar in supporting regional stability and enhancing the chances of peace.

President El-Sisi expressed his deep appreciation for His Majesty the King for the warm welcome, noting Belgium’s noble stance and King Philippe’s personal support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. This was embodied in Belgium’s recognition of the Palestinian State.

The meeting addressed regional developments. Both sides emphasized the need to resolve crises by peaceful means to ensure safeguarding states’ sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, as well as the resources of their peoples.

President El-Sisi looked forward to the participation of His Majesty King Philippe in the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum, scheduled for November 1st, stressing that His Majesty’s presence carries special significance in light of the deep interest the Royal Family and the Belgian people have in the ancient Egyptian civilization. The President added that Egypt also looked forward to boosting incoming tourism from Belgium.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of increasing Belgian investments in Egypt, given Egypt’s promising potential and investment opportunities, in addition to ways to strengthen bilateral relations across all sectors.

King Philippe expressed his appreciation for President El-Sisi’s interest in strengthening cooperation between the two countries, stressing that the Belgian people value Egypt’s pivotal role in consolidating stability in the Middle East and the Southern Mediterranean. The King also highlighted the importance of joint action between governments to address challenges and achieve the aspirations of the Egyptian and Belgian peoples.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.