Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan agreed on Saturday to establish a bilateral political consultation mechanism with meetings to be held every six months.

In an official statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said the decision comes following an Abu Dhabi meeting that witnessed talks about ongoing regional developments and international conflicts of common interest.

The two officials spoke over bilateral relations in different fields between both countries, and methods of developing it, to be extended to aspects that serve the interests of the countries.

The meeting also saw both sides agree on their visions regarding the importance of reaching political solutions for crises in several countries in the region, including Yemen, Syria, and Libya.

They agreed on the importance of undergoing fast procedures to face dangers that threaten Arab national security, which call for joint efforts to bolster Arab unity to face it, especially in issues related to combating terrorism and extremism.

‘UAE continues its support’

The UAE official told Shoukry that his country reiterates its support to Egypt economically and politically.

The minister said that the UAE continues to support the Egyptian people’s right to development, stability and growth, explaining that Egypt is considered a pillar of stability in the Middle East due to its strategic and security impact, which doubles the importance of supporting it in this “distinguishing period.”

The minister added that the UAE is keen to strengthen its ties with Egypt in different fields, pointing out what Egypt possesses in terms of economic potential as well as executing and attracting investment strategies to help its economy.

Shoukry praised relations between the two countries, affirming Egypt’s deep appreciation for the UAE’s supportive stance, and also pointed out that Egyptian-UAE relations are a model for inter-Arab world relations.

The UAE, a key ally of Egypt, has supported Cairo economically and politically since the ousting of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

In 2016, the Crown prince of the UAE Mohamed bin Zayed , pledged $4 billion to Egypt, half as a deposit in the central bank and the other half in investments in developmental projects.

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