President Sisi welcomes Hungarian president

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Katalin Novak, the President of Hungary, at  Al-Ittihadiya Palace on Monday, Nov 27, said Egypt State Information Service (SIS).

An official reception ceremony was held, during which the national anthems of both countries were played, and President al-Sisi and his Hungarian counterpart inspected the guard of honor.

 al-Sisi warmly welcomed Novak on her first visit to Egypt. He commended the deep-rooted, strategic cooperation between the two nations across political, economic, and cultural spheres.

In response, the Hungarian President expressed her appreciation for the ongoing growth in relations and advocated for enhanced collaboration between the two friendly nations.

The meeting focused on priority areas for collaboration in various economic sectors, including industry, transportation, tourism, communications, and information technology.

The two leaders concurred on the need to intensify efforts to increase trade between their countries, and promoting joint investments.

Moreover, the meeting extensively addressed the regional situation, with a specific focus on Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Sisi also outlined the efforts Egypt has taken since the crisis began, leading up to a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip.

President al-Sisi emphasised the crucial need for a lasting ceasefire and unrestricted access of as much humanitarian aid as possible to meet the essential needs of the people and ease their severe humanitarian suffering.

He further noted that this shall happen while ensuring that the conflict does not extend to the West Bank, reaffirming that regional stability and security are deeply tied to global recognition of the Palestinian State, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

President Novak praised Egypt’s role in maintaining stability and peace in the Middle East. She thanked Egypt for its efforts to resolve regional crises and to represent the international community.

The two sides agreed on the need to work toward de-escalation, to condemn the targeting of all civilians, to reject forced displacement, and to prevent the conflict from spreading to the region.

Also, they discussed the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and agreed on the need for strong international action to solve it. al-Sisi explained the huge impact of the crisis on the economies of developing countries, emphasising the need for political solutions that restore stability in the conflict zone.