Egyptian-Portuguese summit to be held Monday

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi is due to arrive here later Sunday on a three-day visit to Portugal to hold important talks with senior Portuguese officials. 

The talks will tackle a host of issues, including ways of boosting economic and diplomatic ties along with promoting cooperation in economic spheres. 

Talks are expected to cover a host of regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the latest developments in the Middle East and combating terrorism.

Sisi's visit will be the first international visit hosted by Portugal since President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's inauguration in March 2016.

The president’s visit will also be the first by an Egyptian leader to Portugal in 20 years.

In exclusive statements to reporters, Egypt's Ambassador in Portugal Ali el Ashri said that President Sisi will give an interview to the Portuguese television and will talk about bilateral ties between Egypt and Portugal along with the latest developments in the Middle East and ways of combating terrorism. 

President Sisi gave an interview to the Portuguese news agencies, which was published yesterday, added the ambassador. 

An official reception ceremony for President Sisi will be held at 11:00 am on Monday outside the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, he further said. 

President Sisi will then lay a wreath at the tomb of Portugal's great national poet Luis de Camoes, he added. 

The ambassador also said that the president will head for the Presidential Palace in Lisbon at 11:30 am on Monday to hold important talks with the Portuguese president. 

The two presidents will hold a press conference, after their officials talks, said the ambassador, adding that President Sisi will then head to the premises of the Portuguese cabinet to hold key talks with the Portuguese prime minister. 

President Sisi will hold a meeting with a number of senior Portuguese businessmen on Tuesday to discuss ways of boosting joint investments in new and renewable energy, said the ambassador. 

The President will also visit the Portuguese supreme military academy, where he will deliver a lecture on security and the international cooperation to combat terrorism, according to the ambassador. 

The volume of trade exchange between Egypt and Portugal went up by 14 percent to reach 194 million euros against 167 million euros during 2014, according to statistics. 

The volume of Egypt's exports to Portugal increased in the past year to reach 91 million euros against 87 million euros in 2014.

Source: MENA