The Lion ZSC

Egypt is an important and strategic partner for the Netherlands in the Middle East, both bilaterally and through the EU. Earlier today I spoke on the phone with Egyptian President @AlsisiOfficial about developments in the Middle East, bilateral cooperation, and what we can do to further strengthen that cooperation.   I expressed my appreciation for the mediating role being played by Egypt in the region, with regard to both the situation in Gaza and the peace talks between Iran and the US. I thanked the president in particular for Egypt’s significant contribution to the medical evacuations from Gaza. I am pleased that the Netherlands has been able to contribute €2 million to this effort via WHO.   We also discussed the violence in Sudan and Egypt’s efforts to bring the warring parties there to a peace agreement, along with what the Netherlands and other European countries can do to contribute to this.   The Netherlands is Egypt’s fourth-largest trading partner within the EU. We spoke about opportunities for Dutch businesses in Egypt in areas such as renewable energy, food security, and agriculture and horticulture, with a view to strengthening our cooperation.