President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed at COP26 Climate summit in Glasgow on Monday (Photo: Egyptian Presidency)
The emir’s visit to Egypt is the first since Cairo and Doha agreed in January 2021 to resume diplomatic relations as part of the Al-Ula Declaration, which was made after an over three-year-long diplomatic rift.
The Qatari emir’s visit to Cairo aims to ensure full normalisation of relations between the two countries and will see the signing of a number of economic agreements, a diplomatic source revealed.
Bin Hamad’s visit will also seek to ensure pumping Qatari investments in Egypt, especially in the energy field, the source said.
An Egyptian-Qatari business council will be launched in light of the emir’s visit, the source said, noting that businessmen at the council will work to enhance trade, investment, and economic relations between the two countries.
Bin Hamad will arrive in Egypt on Friday from Rwanda and will hold a summit with El-Sisi on the following day, according to the source.
Cementing Egyptian-Qatari relations
Earlier this week, Egypt and Qatar signed an MoU on financial policy coordination in Doha between their finance ministries on the sidelines of the Qatar Economic Forum.
The MoU is the latest episode of cooperation between Egypt and Qatar following the restoration of diplomatic, economic, and travel ties.
Egypt and Qatar have worked on strengthening their newly-restored relations and reaching common ground on regional issues since Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed the Al-Ula Declaration with Qatar.
In the wake of the agreement, Egypt and Qatar held rounds of talks to develop relations, eventually forming the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Committee in March to foster and strengthen these ties.
The Qatari emir’s visit comes a few months after Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani made a brief visit to Cairo in March, during which he met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
During their meeting, El-Sisi said the tangible progress in Egyptian-Qatari relations should serve the interests of the two countries and enhance the efforts to bolster the security and stability of the Arab region.
In the meeting, the Qatari FM affirmed to El-Sisi Doha's keenness to cement ties with Cairo.
Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Bin Abdulrahman held an extended meeting on a Qatari package of $5 billion in investments and partnerships in Egypt within "the framework of boosting economic cooperation."
Short link: