Egypt, Kenya Agree to boost security and economic cooperation

Egypt and Kenya on Monday affirmed their keenness to boost bilateral cooperation in all fields, particularly security and economy.

They also agreed to form a joint committee this year within the framework of Egypt’s presidency of the African Union in 2019.

This came during a meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Kenya’s Foreign Minister Monica Juma in Cairo on Sunday.

Juma is currently on an official visit to Egypt, heading a delegation including Kenya’s Attorney General Paul Kariuki and Director General of Kenya’s National Intelligence Service General Philip Kameru.

The meeting addressed several regional issues of mutual concern, the latest developments in the Horn of Africa and means of bolstering mutual cooperation to combat terrorism and extremism, Sisi’s spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Egypt is keen on maximizing the benefits of coordination and consultation with Kenya and its President, Uhuru Kenyatta, during Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union, Sisi stressed, adding that this would contribute to achieving growth and stability sought by African countries.

Sisi also pointed to the importance Egypt attached to enhancing bilateral relations in various fields, especially trade and investment.

Juma, for her part, said there were broad prospects for developing the course of bilateral relations and pushing forward the frameworks of joint cooperation at various levels, officially and popularly.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met earlier with the Kenyan delegation and discussed bilateral cooperation and regional issues of common interest.

According to a statement released by the foreign ministry, Shoukry stressed Egypt’s keenness to promote development cooperation between the two countries, which includes health, energy, housing, and industrialization sectors.

He also pointed to Egypt’s aspiration to increase bilateral trade exchange.