Diplomacy + Foreign Trade on 11 December 2017
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met with the Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Fayez Al Sarraj in Cairo yesterday (pdf) to discuss developments in the Libyan peace and reconciliation efforts. Anti-terror cooperation was also on the agenda. Al Sarraj also sat down with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry for talks on the same issue.
Both Turkey and Egypt are seeking “regional hegemony,” Iran’s former ambassador to Jordan Nosratallah Tajik tells MEHR News Agency. He suggests that Turkey is trying to get closer to Egypt “to prevent more closeness of Egypt to Saudi Arabia in order to keep balance in the region.” Nosratallah adds that he does not believe Egypt will follow Saudi hostility towards Iran, saying “Egypt and Iran have their own concerns and problems.”
The Investment and International Cooperation Ministry is in talks with the Finnish government for a EUR 5-30 mn to finance public service projects, Commercial Attache at the Finnish embassy Yasser Shawky tells Al Mal. Talks should wrap up early on in 2018. Finland suggested using the funds for a sewage treatment plant or water station, which would be offered under Cairo and Helsinki’s 2016 strategic cooperation framework.