Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi kicked off his Asian tour on Monday with a visit to Singapore, the first by an Egyptian head of state since the two countries established diplomatic ties nearly five decades ago.
The visit is part of a three-leg tour, which will also take Al Sissi to China and Indonesia. In Singapore he met with Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong and also visited Singapore’s largest desalination power plant. He also attended an event organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, International Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation.
In an official statement, presidential spokesman, Alaa Youssuf, said that Al Sissi’s visit to Singapore comes within the framework of his efforts to strengthen Egypt’s relations with the Asian country.
He also added that Singapore has experience in various fields that Egypt is interested in developing, such as the development and management of ports and the management of water resources and improving public education.
Al Sissi is accompanied by Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukri, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hussam Al Deen Moghazi and Minister of Investment Ashraf Salman.
Al Sissi is due in China on Tuesday, making it his second visit since he became president. His Asia tour is aimed to open new cooperation vistas mainly in economy and attraction of investment to Egypt, the Cairo-based semi-official newspaper Al Ahram reported. Al Sissi will fly from Beijing to Jakarta for the first visit to Indonesia by an Egyptian head of state since 1983.
The trip comes weeks after Egypt inaugurated a major expansion of the Suez Canal as part of an ambitious scheme designed to turn the country into a hub for global trade and logistics. Al Sissi is expected to promote the project during his trip as part of the Egyptian government’s efforts to boost a flagging economy.
Al Sissi has been seeking to expand Egypt’s relations, beyond their traditional links with the West.
Last week, he made a high-profile visit to Russia, reviving erstwhile strategic ties with the heir of the now-defunct Soviet Union.
-With inputs from WAM
