Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi will start on Sunday 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. He is due on Tuesday to arrive in China on his second visit to the Asian giant since he took office more than a year ago. He will flow from Beijing to Jakarta for the first visit to Indonesia by an Egyptian head of state since 1983.
Al Sissi’s talks in the three countries are aimed to open new cooperation vistas mainly in economy and attraction of investment to Egypt, the Cairo-based semi-official newspaper Al Ahram reported.
“The visit reflects President Al Sissi’s vision to open up to all countries of the world and benefit from the successful experiences of the Asian Tiger countries in South-East Asian,” the paper commented.
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.
