Egypt key economic partner of Romania

Romanian Ambassador in Cairo Cornel Alecse has said that Egypt is a main economic partner of his country.
Cairo plays a strategic role to help Bucharest develop its relations with countries in the Middle East and Africa, Alecse said in an interview with MENA Wednesday.
Trade cooperation between Romania and Egypt has been constantly growing over the past 10 years, the diplomat said.
The volume of trade exchange amounted to 685 million dollars in 2013, Alecse said, noting this was a 28 percent rise compared to the year before.
Trade exchange reached 720 million dollars in nine months of 2014, Alecse said, adding that Romanian exports to Egypt made up 640 million of that sum.
He expressed hope that trade exchange between the two countries would reach an annual one billion dollars.
According to Alecse, the 2011 and 2013 revolutions reflected the will of the Egyptian people to become a democracy.
A big part of the road map announced by interim president Adly Mansour has already been implemented, the diplomat said, adding that it will be completed after the parliamentary elections are over in March.
The high turnout for the referendum on the constitution and the presidential election proves Egypt is on the right track, he noted.
Alecse said Bucharest had offered to share its success story in overcoming difficulties of the transitional period with Cairo, adding that the Egyptian authorities welcomed that.
He expected both sides to sit down and talk on the issue after the legislative polls.
Alecse made it clear that there is no direct cooperation with NGOs in Egypt, but he still said that Romania is working with the UN Development Program to implement plans to upgrade a democratic society here.
A number of courses on equality, electoral assistance and counter corruption have already been organized, the diplomat added.
Asked about tourism, Alecse said that his country amended its travel map on December 12. Romanians, he said, were advised to visit Egypt, except for North Sinai.
Egypt is facing terrorism, Alecse acknowledged, stressing that Romania appreciates efforts of the Egyptian authorities and military to counter that threat and to protect national security and stability.
Alecse said he is sorry the Romanian airlines had to suspend flights to Egypt as of October 2013, blaming that for the decline in the number of Romanian tourists visiting Egypt.
About 38,000 Romanians traveled to Egypt in 2010. In 2014, only 10,000 visited the Arab country.