Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has affirmed to his Italian counterpart the importance of supporting stability in Tunisia, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

In a phone call with his Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio, Shoukry expressed Egypt’s support for Tunisian President Kais Saied’s measures to protect the state’s institutions and overcome the current critical situation, the statement added.

The phone call comes one day after Shoukry paid an official visit to Tunisia, during which he met with Saied.

The Tunisian president announced in late July a number of drastic decisions, including suspending the parliament, which was dominated by the Islamist party Ennahdha, and relieving his prime minister in a step that sparked demonstrations for and against the decision.

"Egypt is confident in the wisdom of president of the [Tunisian] state and his ability to lead this constitutional path steadfastly," the statement quoted Shoukry as saying.

During the Wednesday phone call, Di Maio briefed Shoukry on the outcome of his latest visit to Libya and the meetings he held with the different parties in the Arab country.

Shoukry affirmed the need to stick to the roadmap set by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and the United Nations Security Resolution no. 2570 on holding presidential and parliamentary elections, as scheduled, on 24 December.

The top Egyptian diplomat also affirmed the need for the exit of all foreign troops and mercenaries from Libya without any delay.

He also affirmed that Egypt welcomes the Libyan step to open the coastal road connecting Misrata with Sirte.

The UN-backed 5+5 committee said in a statement last week that the agreement between warring sides to open the road stretching along the length of Libya's coastline, the most populated part of the country, also includes the withdrawal of foreign fighters.