This came in two separate meetings between President El-Sisi and his Irish counterpart, Michael Higgins, and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris in Dublin on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

The Egyptian president is in Ireland on the final leg of his European tour, which included Denmark and Norway.

In his discussions with Irish leaders, President El-Sisi expressed his appreciation for Ireland's positive stance on the Palestinian cause and regional developments in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, added the statement.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Irish counterpart, Michael Higgins pose for an image ahead of their meeting. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidential spokesman Facebook page.

The talks also addressed Cairo’s mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire, facilitate the exchange of hostages and detainees, and ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza without preconditions.

For their part, Irish leaders commended Egypt's historic support for the Palestinian cause, praising Cairo’s prudent efforts toward de-escalation and achieving stability in the region.

In May, Ireland recognized the state of Palestine, bringing the total number of UN member states that recognize Palestine to 146 out of 193.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish cabinet approved Ireland's intervention in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the Genocide Convention.

Trade and investment
 

During his meeting with President Higgins, El-Sisi expressed Cairo's keenness to boost trade exchange the two countries, inviting Irish companies to increase their investments in the Egyptian market.

In tandem, President El-Sisi expressed to the Irish Prime Minister Cairo's interest in benefitting from Ireland's technological expertise in industry, telecommunications, agriculture, and the environment.

According to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), trade exchange between Egypt and Ireland amounted to $448 million in the first 10 months of 2024, compared to $428 million during the same period in 2023.

President El-Sisi also invited the Irish president and prime minister to attend the upcoming inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), according to the statement.
 

Political consultation mechanism
 

On the sidelines of President Sisi's visit to Ireland, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Irish counterpart, Micheál Martin, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a political consultation mechanism between Cairo and Dublin.

This step is one of the key outcomes of the presidential visit to Ireland, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

El-Sisi departed from the Irish capital on Wednesday evening, returning to Egypt after his European tour, as stated by the Egyptian presidency.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty shakes hands with his Irish counterpart, Micheál Martin after signing the MOU. Photo courtesy of Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Facebook page.