Ashraf AboArafe
EL ALAMEIN, EGYPT — August 20 — Ahead of the 7th session of the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Supreme Committee, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, met with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to review expanding bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
Both dignitaries commended the dramatic growth in ties under their respective leaderships, reaffirming their commitment to holding the Joint Supreme Committee annually to translate strategic dialogue into tangible, operational measures.
Key Spheres of Bilateral Cooperation
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Economic Boom & Bilateral Trade: Trade exchange surged by 80% in 2025. Major milestones include the landmark Ras Alam El Rum development agreement—where Qatari developer Qatari Diar broke ground on Phase I on August 9—alongside direct Qatari investments in a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE).
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Consular & Labor Integration: Dr. Abdelatty praised Qatar’s stewardship of the Egyptian expatriate community. He advocated for convening the Joint Labor Committee to streamline skilled Egyptian labor deployments to Qatar via digital integration and dedicated workforce management modules.
Regional Security & Diplomatic Priorities
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Middle East Tensions & De-escalation: The ministers urged a return to diplomatic tracks, advocating for building upon the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding to reach a permanent agreement. They emphasized protecting freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz under international law to safeguard global energy supply chains.
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Gaza & West Bank: In coordination with the US and regional partners, both sides pressed for the execution of the US Peace Plan for Gaza. They strongly condemned Israeli unilateral actions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including settlement expansions and provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
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Lebanon & Sudan: Reaffirmed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, calling for complete Israeli withdrawal and strong assistance for the Lebanese Armed Forces. On Sudan, they warned against severe humanitarian deterioration, explicitly rejecting any attempts to fragment the state or establish parallel entities.
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Horn of Africa & Somalia: Emphasized strict respect for territorial integrity and international maritime law. Dr. Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s contributions to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), stressing the need for adequate funding to prevent the resurgence of security and terrorist threats.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to sustain high-level consultation, leveraging the output of the 7th Joint Supreme Committee to advance bilateral integration and address shared geopolitical challenges.
