Iohannis in Cairo: We must continue to encourage business people in Egypt and Romania to start joint projects

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that business people in Egypt and Romania should be encouraged to start up joint projects both bilaterally and in third markets, agerpres reports.

"In our conversation, we agreed that moving forward we have to identify new ways to capitalise on the important development potential for co-operation in areas with a crucial part for both Romania and Egypt: defence, energy, agriculture, transport, IT & C, cybersecurity, education, research and innovation. The business forum taking place on the sidelines of this visit will undoubtedly play an important role. We have to continue to work together to encourage business people in Egypt and Romania to start up joint projects bilaterally, as well as in third markets, starting from the fact that both Romania and Egypt represent gateways to the most important integrated economic markets: the European Union, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, respectively," Iohannis told a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

He pointed out that his visit to Cairo reaffirms the desire of the two countries to strengthen their high-level political dialogue, and also to reaffirm the mutual commitment of the two countries to diversifying contacts and projects by steering their traditional partnership towards the future.

"I am firmly convinced that the next meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will play an important role in expanding our co-operation and stimulating as many common economic projects as possible, while allowing for the modernisation of the current legal framework," Iohannis said.

The Romanian chief of state said he is convinced that the Romanian-Egyptian relations will be strengthened, with mutual benefits to the two countries and their citizens. He pointed out that Egypt is one of Romania's traditional friends in the Middle East and Africa and an important economic and sectoral partner.

"This year we celebrate the 115th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Romania and Egypt, a long-standing relationship, characterised by mutual respect and trust. There is still great potential for the development of our bilateral relations on all levels," said Iohannis.

Iohannis on Wednesday is paying a state visit to Egypt at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart.

He is scheduled to meet Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives Hanafy Ali El-Gebaly and Chairman of the Egyptian Senate Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq.