El-Sisi’s three-nation Asian tour aims at enhance Egypt’s foreign policy concerning Asia. This visit, which includes Kazakhstan, japan, and South Korea, followed similar stops last year to China, Indonesia, Singapore, and India.
These 3 Asian stops focus on laying foundations for more developed Asian- Egyptian relations. Such visits would definitely contribute to boosting the national economy, attract foreign investments, and benefit from Asian expertise in basic fields -necessary for developing Egypt’s economy. Among the targeted fields are education, health, infrastructure, energy, workforce training and scientific research. This is expected to boost Egypt’s ability to cover developmental needs, thus achieving “Egypt’s 2030 vision”, the sustainable development strategy launched by President El-Sisi.
El-Sisi’s visit to Kazakhstan reflects Egypt’s keenness to foster bonds with a thrived economy in middle Asia. Kazakhstan is one of the most important energy producers, and which has 11 per cent of global oil reserves. Moreover, it produces nearly 15m tons of wheat, 400,000 Kintar of cotton, and owns a peaceful nuclear programme.
Kazakhstan, along with Canada and Australia, produces nearly 70 per cent of the world’s total Uranium production. Moreover, Kazakhstan expertise in the field of space science -through its National Space Agency which operates since 1955- could be helpful to Egypt’s endeavors to establish its own space agency. Businessmen of both countries held joint meetings, on the sidelines of the business forum chaired by Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov and president El-Sisi. Such meetings are expected to pave the way for economic and trade cooperation and boost investment opportunities in education, health, pharmaceuticals, and major Egyptian projects presented by El-Sisi.
Among these projects are the Suez Canal Development project, and establishing a Kazakh economic zone. Moreover, Kazakhstan’s transferring expertise who built their new capital ‘Astana’ to Egypt’s new capital was also discussed. Kazakh businessmen offered to contribute in carrying out major projects -like the golden triangle, several other infrastructure and agricultural projects.
In his second stop in Japan, The Egyptian president expressed his appreciation for Japan’s civilisation as well as its economic development experience.
“I would like to express the Egyptian people’s and my personal appreciation of what Japanese people offer: A role model and a unique civilisation, which managed to transform honourable ethical principles and team work into a concrete reality everywhere in Japan,” El-Sisi said.
He also evoked Egyptian poets who spoke highly of Japan, citing the late ‘Prince of poets’ Ahmed Shawky’s praising the Japanese nation, and Hafez Ibrahim’s Japan-inspired poems ‘Poet of the Nile’.
El-Sisi presented Egypt’s major projects -such as the Suez Canal developmental projects and the road network project- stressing on investment opportunities in Egypt and encouraging Japanese investors to contribute to such projects. Egypt passed legislations and procedures to attract investors, and is one of the highly rated countries generating investments revenues.
“Egypt offered -in one year- a solution to the energy shortage problem and completely fulfilled the industry sector’s needs for the wheel of production to continue,” the Egyptian president added.
He also encouraged Japanese tourists to visit Egypt, stressing out that Cairo is sincerely committed to secure tourists and offer high-class satisfaction.
Before this issue comes out, President El-Sisi heads to his third and final stop in this Asian tour, namely South Korea. The Egyptian President is to meet with South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. During the visit, it is scheduled that both countries will sign a declaration to promote full partnership. This reflects a strong political will -focused mainly on achieving a quantum leap in joint cooperation that perfectly suits both countries’ special relations and capabilities.
President El-Sisi will also meet with representatives of major South Korean companies and heads of economic federations to promote S.Korean FDI’s in Egypt.
