On March 5, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan embarked on a two-day official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, where he met with the country's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Meeting with Sisi

The visit commenced with a private conversation between the leaders, followed by discussions in an expanded format. President el-Sisi welcomed Prime Minister Pashinyan's official visit, highlighting its potential to invigorate and broaden multi-sectoral cooperation between Egypt and Armenia. He underscored the longstanding ties between the Armenian and Egyptian peoples, noting the significant role of the Armenian community in Egypt across various domains.

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Prime Minister Pashinyan conveyed Armenia's keen interest in enhancing relations with Egypt. He emphasized the importance of expanding and deepening trade and economic cooperation, stressing the need to capitalize on existing potential by fostering business ties.

The discussions encompassed various joint programs across economic, infrastructure, tourism, aviation, high technologies, agriculture, environment, education, and culture. Both leaders deliberated on regional developments in the South Caucasus and the Middle East, underscoring the imperative of strengthening peace and stability through concerted efforts.

Prime Minister Pashinyan briefed his Egyptian counterpart on the ongoing deliberations regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty, highlighting Armenia's principled stance. He also elaborated on Armenia's "Crossroads of Peace" project and its guiding principles, alongside addressing humanitarian challenges faced by individuals forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh.

Following the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan and President el-Sisi, a ceremony was held to sign bilateral documents between Armenia and Egypt. A memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Economy of Armenia and the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation, alongside a 2024-2026 implementation plan on scientific and technical cooperation in agriculture. Additionally, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in environmental protection was signed between the Ministries of Environment of Armenia and Egypt.

Press Remarks

In his speech, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi underscored the shared commitment of both countries to enhance cooperation across trade, investment, and new areas such as information technologies, artificial intelligence, food, and pharmaceutical industries. He emphasized the significance of bilateral commissions for economic and technical cooperation in advancing mutual interests. Addressing regional issues, President el-Sisi outlined Egypt's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the occupied Gaza Strip and the West Bank, advocating for the establishment of an autonomous Palestinian Republic with East Jerusalem as its capital. He reiterated Egypt's support for peace and stability in the South Caucasus region, endorsing dialogue and negotiation processes for comprehensive, just peace. In conclusion, President el-Sisi welcomed Prime Minister Pashinyan's visit as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral cooperation. He expressed hope that the visit would enrich the historical ties between the two nations and lead to mutually beneficial outcomes across various sectors.

In his response, Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized the frequent exchanges between the political leadership of both countries and their shared vision for the future. Prime Minister Pashinyan discussed security, political, and regional issues, emphasizing Armenia and Egypt's efforts to promote peace and stability in their respective regions. He reiterated Armenia's commitment to normalization with Azerbaijan based on principles of territorial integrity and the border demarcation process. Acknowledging the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed solidarity with the victims and praised Egypt's efforts to provide humanitarian aid and facilitate evacuations. He welcomed Egypt's support and advice in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Highlighting the Armenian-Egyptian community's role, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for Egypt's care for Armenians living in the country. He noted the growing interest of Egyptian investors in Armenia and highlighted the potential for economic cooperation.

Meeting with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States

During Pashinyan's meeting with Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit of the League of Arab States in Cairo, the two leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation between Armenia and the League of Arab States on various international issues. Secretary General Aboul Gheit highlighted the longstanding historical ties between the Armenian and Arab peoples as a solid foundation for further cooperation.

Prime Minister Pashinyan addressed several key topics during the meeting. He provided insights into the ongoing processes in the South Caucasus region, including discussions surrounding the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty. Additionally, he highlighted the humanitarian challenges individuals forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh faced.

Prime Minister Pashinyan also outlined details about the "Crossroads of Peace" project initiated by the Armenian government. He emphasized Armenia's readiness to unblock regional transport communications based on sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity, and equality principles.

The discussion also encompassed the situation in the Middle East, particularly focusing on the challenges in the Gaza Strip. Both sides underscored the importance of taking consistent steps toward achieving regional peace and stability.

Visit to St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral

During his official visit to Egypt, the Prime Minister visited St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abbassia, where he met with Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and All Africa, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Pope Tawadros II welcomed Prime Minister Pashinyan's visit to the Patriarchate and highlighted the significant role of the Armenian community in Egypt's social and political landscape. He also emphasized the close ties and cooperation between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In response, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the warm reception and recalled fondly the visit of Pope Tawadros II to Armenia. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the outcomes of Prime Minister Pashinyan's discussions with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and to explore avenues for further strengthening ties between Armenia and Egypt.

Meeting with local businessmen

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, where he engaged in discussions with local businessmen to explore opportunities for enhancing trade and economic relations between Armenia and Egypt.

Ahmad el-Wakil, the President of the Federation, expressed Egypt's interest in exploring potential investment programs and expanding cooperation with Armenia.

Armenia's Deputy Minister of Economy, Rafayel Gevorgyan, and the Director General of the Investment Support Center, Levon Ohanesyan, highlighted the country's economic progress and reforms aimed at facilitating investment and improving the business environment. 

Ahmed Samir, the Minister of Trade and Industry of Egypt, also emphasized the importance of leveraging the substantial potential for economic cooperation between Armenia and Egypt.

Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized Armenia's remarkable economic growth despite regional and global challenges in his address. He highlighted Armenia's high economic growth rates and significant increases in tax revenues over recent years. Pashinyan expressed optimism about further doubling tax revenues and highlighted the government's substantial investments in various sectors.

The Prime Minister outlined several areas of investment opportunities in Armenia, including tourism, winemaking, construction, technology, and the financial sector. He underscored Armenia's potential for attracting tourists from the Middle East, particularly in winter tourism and winemaking.

Pashinyan also emphasized the government's commitment to supporting investors and fostering a conducive business environment. He discussed ongoing projects such as the construction of the Academic City and plans for infrastructure development in agriculture.

Moreover, Prime Minister Pashinyan reiterated Armenia's focus on becoming a knowledge-based economy, emphasizing investments in education, science, and technology. He emphasized the importance of creating a transparent and reliable environment for investors to thrive and contribute to Armenia's economic development.

Meeting with Prime Minister

On the same day, he also met with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in the New Administrative Capital, continuing discussions on bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister Madbouly underscored the significance of multi-sectoral cooperation between Armenia and Egypt. He highlighted the longstanding historical relations between the two countries and praised the Armenian community in Egypt for its integration into Egyptian society. Madbouly also appreciated Armenia's contributions to enhancing cooperation between Egypt and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

In response, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the warm reception and productive discussions held with the Egyptian President. He expressed optimism that the official visit would deepen economic cooperation in tandem with strong political relations between the two nations. Pashinyan emphasized the importance of his meetings with Egyptian businessmen and highlighted the forthcoming session of the Armenia-Egypt intergovernmental cooperation commission and parallel business forum, where investment proposals would be presented. Additionally, Pashinyan acknowledged Egypt's support in facilitating logistical arrangements for sending humanitarian aid from Armenia to Gaza.

During the meeting, the leaders discussed expanding trade turnover and exploring opportunities for implementing investment programs. Prime Minister Madbouly expressed gratitude for Armenia's gesture of naming a square in Yerevan after Egypt and reciprocated by announcing Egypt's intention to name a square in the capital after Armenia.