During the event, Abdel-Aty conveyed Egypt’s aspiration to further develop and deepen political, economic, commercial, and cultural relations with Belgium, which extends from the era of Muhammad Ali and Édouard Louis Joseph to Baron Empain, who established the Heliopolis district, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also stressed the positive role that Belgian companies are currently playing in the process of modernisation and development underway in Egypt, especially in the expansion of the Suez Canal and the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and other clean and renewable energy projects, including the production of green hydrogen, as well as areas of infrastructure, logistics, and port development between the two countries.

From his side, King Philip I emphasised Belgium’s appreciation for Egypt and its pivotal role in the region, especially with regard to maintaining security and stability under the leadership of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the statement further said.

The Belgian king also expressed to the newly appointed ambassador his happiness to have received the Egyptian president last week during his first visit to Brussels.

El-Sisi participated in the sixth session of the European Union – African Union Summit, which ran from 17 to 18 February in Brussels. The Belgian king praised the dialogue that took place between him and the president about the historical relations between Egypt and Belgium as well as the two countries’ political and economic relations, lauding Egypt’s pivotal role in consolidating stability in the Middle East and Africa.

He also praised Egypt’s efforts in combating irregular migration and terrorism, achieving coexistence between religions, and supporting peaceful solutions to the ongoing crises in the region, Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said.

On the summit’s side-lines, El-Sisi also met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in addition to several EU leaders and Belgian businessmen.

Moreover, he met with the executive directors of a number of Belgian companies to discuss advancing cooperation in the economic, commercial, and investment spheres.