Ashraf AboArafe
On Tuesday, September 20, 2023, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Ms. Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed during the meeting Egypt’s pride in the diplomatic relations between the two countries, as next year coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment, expressing Egypt’s aspiration to host the sixth round of the consultation mechanism. Politics between the two countries as soon as possible. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also appreciated New Zealand’s participation in the multinational forces and international observers in Sinai (MFO) from its inception in 1982 until now, in light of the strategic importance of the presence of those forces and their invaluable contribution to the security and peace of the region. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also thanked his counterpart for the recent return of a number of smuggled antiquities to the New Zealand government.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that Minister Shukri was keen during the meeting to confirm the Egyptian government’s interest in enhancing economic cooperation with New Zealand, including increasing the volume of trade exchange, expressing the importance of urging the relevant authorities on both sides to study ways to develop these relations further, especially within the framework of The joint trade committee between the two countries, which held its last meeting in October 2022. He also stressed Egypt’s aspiration to increase the volume of New Zealand investments in Egypt, especially in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, taking into account the legislative incentives and positive developments witnessed by the investment environment in Egypt, indicating our readiness To provide all means of support and facilities, which was appreciated by the New Zealand Minister.
For her part, the New Zealand Foreign Minister praised the relations between the two countries, expressing her country’s desire to strengthen these relations to broader horizons and her aspiration to visit Egypt soon to discuss ways to achieve this hoped-for rapprochement in a way that enhances the interests of the two countries. She expressed her appreciation for the important and pioneering role played by Egypt in chairing the climate conference, and her desire to cooperate with Egypt in order to ensure that the 28th session of the conference produces positive results at the level of international climate action. The New Zealand Foreign Minister was also keen to listen to the Foreign Minister’s vision regarding the Egyptian efforts to calm the situation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides and to encourage the Palestinian and Israeli sides to resume the peace process.
The official spokesman concluded his statements by noting that the two ministers exchanged views on a number of regional and international files of common interest, including the Palestinian issue, where Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed our appreciation for New Zealand’s interest in regional issues, and for the moderate and balanced positions it adopts, especially its positive and supportive stance on the issue. Palestinian. The Minister was also keen to listen to Minister Shoukry’s assessment on a number of important regional issues, most notably the situation in Sudan and Libya and the diplomatic efforts undertaken by Egypt in this regard to calm the situation in its regional surroundings.
