Qatar, Egypt hold talks to enhance bilateral ties

DOHA, Qatar

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Doha on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, according to his office.

The talks between the two leaders took up ways of enhancing bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Amiri Diwan said in a statement.

Sheikh Tamim voiced hope that the Egyptian leader’s visit “will contribute to boosting cooperation ties between the two countries to meet the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples,” the statement said.

Al-Sisi, for his part, expressed his hope “to strengthen relations between the two countries and push them to broader horizons,” it added.

An Egyptian presidential spokesman said the two leaders agreed to boost coordination to reach political settlements to regional crises.

The two leaders also discussed ways of expanding trade, economic ties and joint investments between the two sides, the spokesman added.

Al-Sisi arrived in Doha on Tuesday for his first official visit to Qatar since taking office in 2014.

Egypt and Qatar 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 summer of 2017.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report