During his official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt on June 7, President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan received an official welcome ceremony in Cairo. A guard of honor, alongside the national flags of both nations, greeted President Aliyev in a square specially decorated for the occasion.

On June 8, President Aliyev met with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt one-on-one. Subsequently, the two leaders held an expanded meeting.

Both parties expressed contentment with the current state of bilateral political relations and underscored their appreciation for cooperation within international organizations, notably within the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. They emphasized the significance of Egypt's Presidency of COP27 and Azerbaijan's forthcoming Presidency of COP29, emphasizing cooperation and knowledge sharing in this realm.

Discussion encompassed various sectors, including energy, construction, industry, pharmaceuticals, and transportation, with plans for the next intergovernmental commission meeting to be held in Egypt. Both sides acknowledged Azerbaijan's business delegation visit to Egypt and the ongoing exploration of collaboration opportunities across multiple sectors.

Talks also touched upon enhancing the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, Egypt's deepening economic ties with Central Asian nations via this route through the Turkish Port of Mersin, and cooperation on the North-South Transport Corridor.

During the discussions, President El-Sisi expressed Egypt's support for normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He commended the return of four villages to Azerbaijan through negotiations and the progress in delineating and demarcating the borders between the two countries.

President El-Sisi highlighted Egyptian companies' interest in participating in restoration and construction efforts in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

Bilateral documents signed

On June 8, Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, participated in a ceremony to sign Azerbaijan-Egypt documents.

Foreign Minister of Egypt, Sameh Hassan Shoukry, and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Youth and Sports between the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Arab Republic of Egypt." and the "Memorandum of Understanding on Friendship and Cooperation between the Baku City Executive Authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Cairo Governorate of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Foreign Minister of Egypt, Sameh Hassan Shoukry, and Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, Parviz Shahbazov, signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Electrical and Renewable Energy between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry and Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov signed the "Joint Action Plan for 2024-2025 between the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO) and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek Ahmed El Molla, and Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, signed the "Protocol of Intent on Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, and Azerbaijan's Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Exchange of Experience between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of International Cooperation of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt, Amr Talaat, and Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Information and Communication Technologies between the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Arab Republic of Egypt."

Press statements

During press statements on June 8, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt emphasized the significance of strengthening bilateral relations with Azerbaijan across various sectors. He highlighted discussions on regional and international issues of mutual interest, as well as potential cooperation opportunities in construction, transport, pharmaceuticals, oil, and infrastructure. President El-Sisi underscored the importance of organizing the next joint commission meeting between the two countries to enhance economic and commercial relations further.

Regarding regional matters, President El-Sisi outlined Egypt's efforts to increase humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in Gaza and stressed the necessity of establishing an independent Palestinian State within the borders of June 4, 1967.

President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan reiterated Azerbaijan's commitment to supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian State and emphasized the need for an end to the current conflict in Gaza through negotiations. He expressed Azerbaijan's support for Egypt's initiatives in this regard.

President Aliyev also discussed developments in the South Caucasus, highlighting progress in defining state borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He noted the return of four villages in the Gazakh district of Azerbaijan, previously occupied for over three decades, as a positive development. President Aliyev expressed readiness for further progress in negotiations.

Additionally, President Aliyev exchanged views on new transport corridors, including the East-West and North-South routes passing through Azerbaijan. He emphasized the opportunities for cooperation in transport and logistics facilitated by Azerbaijan's infrastructure.

Both leaders acknowledged the forthcoming meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission, with President Aliyev expressing confidence in advancing cooperation based on the instructions provided by the presidents during the discussions.

Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar

During his official visit to Egypt on June 8, President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan met with Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar al-Sharif, in Cairo.

President Aliyev expressed his pleasure at visiting Al-Azhar for the second time and meeting with the Grand Sheikh during his visit to Egypt. He emphasized the strong relations and historical ties between Azerbaijan and Egypt, highlighting the prioritization of developing relations with Arab states in Azerbaijan's foreign policy.

President Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan's efforts to promote dialogue among religions, cultures, and civilizations, inviting the Grand Sheikh to visit Azerbaijan. He also proposed holding the next meeting of religious leaders in cooperation with Al-Azhar within the framework of COP29, which Azerbaijan is set to host this year.

Addressing the issue of Azerbaijan's occupied territories, President Aliyev lamented the destruction of Islamic material and cultural monuments, including mosques, during the nearly thirty years of occupation. He reiterated Azerbaijan's exercise of its right to self-defense, ending the occupation and restoring territorial integrity and sovereignty. President Aliyev highlighted ongoing efforts to restore mosques and Islamic heritage in liberated areas, with five mosques already converted, and emphasized Azerbaijan's contribution to Islamic solidarity.

President Aliyev emphasized the significance of declaring the city of Shusha as the capital of Islamic culture and noted the destruction of mosques in Shusha during the occupation.

The Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar al-Sharif expressed gratitude for the visit, acknowledging the strong relations between Egypt and Azerbaijan and hailing Azerbaijan's efforts to ensure its territorial integrity and sovereignty. He expressed willingness to participate in COP29 and thanked President Aliyev for Azerbaijan's contributions to Islamic solidarity.

The Sheikh personally thanked President Aliyev for Azerbaijan's contributions to Islamic solidarity and highlighted ongoing efforts to hold a meeting of religious leaders within the framework of COP29. He expressed readiness to support Azerbaijan in teaching the Arabic language, noting Azerbaijani students' studies at al-Azhar.

President Aliyev expressed gratitude for the support in teaching Arabic in Azerbaijan, highlighting the country's historical focus on studying the Arabic language and Islamic culture. He mentioned existing institutions such as the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Baku State University and the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.