Serbia opened its first diplomatic and commercial representation office in Cairo’s Khedive Ismail Square, today Tahrir Square, in 1908. Since then, cooperation and friendship between the two countries have been strong, a fact manifested by their participation in establishing the Non-Aligned Movement in the 1950s.

Egyptian-Serbian relations were upgraded to those of a strategic partnership during President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’s visit to Serbia in 2022. In 2024, the Serbian President visited Egypt and signed a free-trade agreement together with nine others in different fields.

Serbian First Lady Tamara Vučić, a diplomat who focuses on the well-being of children and adolescents, as well as of vulnerable members of Serbian society through her work with people with rare diseases, explained her views on cultural and educational cooperation between the two countries.   

How do you view bilateral relations between Egypt and Serbia?

Bilateral relations between Serbia and Egypt are rooted in the friendship and closeness of the peoples of the two countries. This relationship has been further strengthened by the personal and sincere connections fostered between President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić.

In my opinion, contact and communication are the basis of diplomacy. Regular dialogue and mutual visits at the highest levels are crucial for the continued development of our relations. Such interactions also deepen mutual understanding on a global level, which is a key element in achieving and maintaining peace.

The bilateral relations between Serbia and Egypt were raised to the level of a strategic partnership during President Al-Sisi’s historic visit to Serbia in 2022. During the visit of the Serbian President to Egypt in 2024, a free-trade agreement between our two countries was signed. We also had the opportunity to present Serbian cultural heritage through the Serbian Cultural Days in Egypt and to connect the business communities of our two countries through the Serbia-Egypt Women’s Business Forum.

Therefore, our cooperation is multifaceted and multi-layered, which also serves as a solid foundation for strong bilateral relations.

Of course, such achievements did not happen overnight. They are the result of 116 years of diplomatic ties between Egypt and the Former Yugoslavia. Even today, Serbia, as a successor to the former Yugoslavia, remains committed to nurturing traditional friendships with nations worldwide, among which Egypt holds a prominent place.

What were the outcomes of your most recent visit to Egypt?

The visit to Egypt was in October and centred around my participation in the Union of Arab Women Investors Conference for the third time in a row. As per tradition, the official opening took place in Cairo, followed by the working sessions in Aswan.

I was deeply honoured to receive special recognition at the initiative of Hoda Yassa, a distinguished businesswoman and the conference organiser. I was declared the Princess of Love and Peace and presented with the keys to the city of Aswan as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between Serbia and Egypt.

Serbian business people visit Egypt every year during the conference, and this time around they appear to have set a new record in terms of attendance, impactful presentations, and the initiation of promising partnerships.

As I mentioned, my husband also visited Egypt on an official trip in July. There were economic and cultural events before his arrival to prepare for this important visit. These included a Women’s Business Forum, which brought together Serbian and Egyptian businesswomen, and the Serbian Cultural Days in Egypt event.

Egypt has a great history, and tourism plays an important role in the bilateral relations between the two countries. What are the ways to promote cooperation in this field?

In Egypt, I have had the privilege of participating in conferences, meeting First Lady Intisar Al-Sisi, and connecting with many accomplished and inspiring women. I have also had the opportunity to admire the beauty of this extraordinary country. However, to be honest, I have never visited Egypt as a tourist.

All my previous visits to Cairo, Luxor, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Aswan were for business purposes. Yet, I was fortunate to experience glimpses of this fascinating country, its rich traditions, and its history. In my opinion, an innovative approach to promoting the nation and its rich heritage is to integrate its tourism offerings into official and business visits whenever possible. People from my country like to spend their summers in Egypt, most often in Hurghada but also in Sharm El-Sheikh and Luxor. These visits are mainly organised by charter flights, considering that there are currently no direct commercial flights between the two countries.

I would like to encourage more Egyptians to visit Serbia. While we are a landlocked country, we offer relaxation amid stunning natural landscapes next to rivers, lakes, and picturesque mountains. This is not to mention Belgrade, which is a genuine metropolis. Admittedly, we have fewer inhabitants than Cairo, but the capital of Serbia also vibrates with positive energy.  

How do you compare Egyptian and Serbian women in terms of empowerment and their achievements as entrepreneurs?

One of the most profound impressions I have had in Egypt is precisely witnessing the strength and entrepreneurial spirit of Egyptian women. They are determined, educated, and resilient. Women are the pillars of every society, and if those pillars are fragile or unstable, what kind of society can we hope to build?

In Serbia, women also play a prominent and highly visible role. Our Speaker of the National Assembly is a woman, 40 per cent of our MPs are women, and the Governor of the National Bank of Serbia is a woman. Ten ministers in our government are women as well. Beyond politics, women lead banks, run major firms and companies, and excel in their work.

Personally, this makes me very proud and sets a good example for women whose circumstances are more challenging. It gives them hope that empowering women is not just a lofty phrase but a concrete goal focused on fostering economic independence and encouraging a healthy, balanced relationship with oneself and the world.

The world is witnessing an escalation of conflicts. As a Serbian woman and a mother, what is your message in this regard?

Let’s return to the negotiating table, to the essence of diplomacy, and to the core of what it means to be human: love, not hate. Let us rediscover ourselves and the meaning and values we often forget. Let us return to truth and honesty.

I visited the wonderful Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai last year. This is the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world, where monks have lived since its foundation in the 6th century. The Serbian educator, prince, and first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church Saint Sava stayed in that Monastery twice, and some of the testimonies from his time remain preserved there.

I had the unique privilege of praying in the monastery’s oldest chapel, where Saint Sava himself once prayed. As soon as I stepped into that chapel, I began to cry uncontrollably, as if a flood of emotion had overtaken me. Even after I left, the feeling lingered. It was an incredibly cathartic experience for which I am deeply grateful.

How can the educational and cultural relations between our two countries be strengthened?

At that Serbia-Egypt Women’s Business Forum, which I had the honour of opening alongside Egypt’s minister of culture, we were able to get to know each other, our traditions, and our history through the performances of Serbia’s Kolo cultural and artistic ensemble and Egypt’s Reda folklore society.

Last year, Egypt was a guest at our prestigious Etnology Festival, an international cultural manifestation dedicated to nurturing, showcasing, and preserving the world’s cultural heritage through fashion and aesthetics.

We are particularly proud of the participation of Egyptian students in the World in Serbia programme, which we believe represents an additional bridge of cooperation between our two countries. I sincerely hope that we will continue along this path, fostering closer ties between our peoples through the exchange of rich creative works.

Who is Tamara Vučić?

First Lady of Serbia Tamara Vučić was awarded recognition from the National Organisation for Rare Diseases of Serbia and the annual award of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association as well as from the Institute for Public Health.

She initiated the state project the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Inclusion that provides diagnostic and therapeutic support for children and their parents and guardians, as well as specialised training and practice for all those dealing with early childhood development.

She is the honorary patron of the Etnology Festival, which strives to promote the immaterial cultural heritage of Serbia and also to present other elements of the world’s cultural heritage.

She is the winner of the Acknowledgement for Contributing to Preservation and Development of Culture of the Belgrade City Museum and of the Captain Miša Anastasijević Award for humanity and the creation of a better image of Serbia in the world, as well as of the special award of the Diplomacy and Commerce Magazine for 2024 for building bridges between nations.

She received the Better World Best Commitment Award for her efforts in promoting peace in Europe at the diplomatic level and her commitment to humanitarian causes.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 9 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly