ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday hailed Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's visit to Egypt as an "important step” for developing ties between Cairo and Doha.

Al-Sisi and Tamim held talks in Cairo on Saturday where they discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, the Qatari state news agency QNA reported.

During their meeting, al-Sisi congratulated the Qatari ruler on the 9th anniversary of his accession to power and hailed his achievements in the Gulf state, QNA said.

Tamim arrived in Cairo on Friday for his first visit to Egypt since 2015.

His visit came days after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman concluded a similar visit to Egypt where he signed a package of investment agreements worth $7.7 billion.

Qatar and Egypt restored diplomatic ties in January 2021 following the signing of a reconciliation agreement in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, which brought down the curtain on the Gulf crisis that broke out in the 2017 summer.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar