Relations between Egypt and Democratic Republic of Congo
Brief History:
The relations between Egypt and Democratic Republic of Congo date back to the 1960s with the Egyptian support to the Congolese struggle for independence. Egypt also hosted the family of Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister, after his imprisonment and assassination. Egypt has always played an active role to ensure the stability of the DRC which is still continuing with the Egyptian participation in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) peacekeeping force and through Egypt's efforts as a member in the UN Security Council and African Union's Peace and Security Council.
Egypt-DRC relations currently continue in a positive track, with a noticeable level of coordination and cooperation, in addition to the priority which Egypt gives to support capacity building and human development in DRC.
Mutual Visits:
The participation of H.E. President Joseph Kabila in the inauguration ceremony of the New Suez Canal on August 2015 during which three memoranda of understanding for cooperation in the fields of energy, environment and health between the two countries were signed.
The visit of H.E. Augustin Matata Ponyo, Prime Minister of the DRC to Egypt in February 2016, during which a Joint Statement by the two Prime Ministers was issued concerning the Egyptian participation in stages 3 and 4 of the Inga Dam construction project on the Congo River, in addition to signing several memoranda of understanding including a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Grand Inga Development and Promotion Agency.
The last two years witnessed a lot of visits of Egyptian senior officials to Rwanda both on the bilateral and multilateral levels, including the visits of former Minister of Foreign Affairs to Kinshasa and Goma on February 2014, and of former Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources on May 2015.
- Congolese senior officials paid a number of visits to Egypt both on the bilateral and multilateral levels, including the visits of Minister of Environment, Conservation of Nature on March 2015, Minister of Trade on June 2015, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for international Cooperation on August 2015.
Economic Relations:
Technical cooperation and assistance:
The Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) plays a major role in enhancing capacity building in DRC through the training courses that it organizes in collaboration with the relevant Egyptian ministries in various fields that include health, electricity, irrigation, agriculture and diplomacy.
The EAPD provides as well logistic aids to several sectors in DRC that included in the past three years the rehabilitation of the several departments in Kinshasa General Hospital and providing them with medical equipments, in addition to sending several Egyptian medical convoys and providing logistic aids for the establishment of a vocational training center in Kinshasa.
- The Egyptian Initiative for Developing Nile Basin Countries is conducting several projects in DRC that include the establishment of model farm, electric power stations and a medical center in Kinshasa.
Relations between Egypt and Rwanda
Brief History:
The Egyptian Embassy in Kigali was opened in 1976, and the Rwandan Embassy in Cairo was closed in December 1999 for financial reasons, yet it was reopened after 15 years following the participation of H.E. President Paul Kagame in the Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on March 2015.
Egypt and Rwanda enjoy excellent and diversified relations in many political, economical, cultural, and developmental fields, and they share common interests in various regional and international issues, in addition to their membership in different regional organizations including the COMESA, the NEPAD initiative, the African Union, and the Nile Basin Initiative.
The Egyptian Rwandan Joint Commission was established in September 1989, and the second round of this Joint Commission was held in Cairo from 7th to 10th of September 2009, presided by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries, and it witnessed the signing of ten documents of cooperation in different fields including Economical and Technical Cooperation, Agriculture, Customs, Youth, Industrial Development, Petroleum and Mineral resources, Education, Health, Culture, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
Mutual Visits:
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H.E. President Paul Kagame participated, heading a high level delegation, in the Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on March 2015. during which he met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and senior Egyptian officials and businessmen.
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H.E. Anastase Murekezi, Prime Minister of Rwanda, participated in the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on June 2015.
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The last five years witnessed a lot of visits of Egyptian senior officials to Rwanda both on the bilateral and multilateral levels, including the visits of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Assistant Defense Minister. Also several Rwandan Ministers paid visit to Egypt for bilateral and multilateral meetings including the visit of the Minister of Trade and Investment to participate in the Business for Africa Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh on February 2016.
Economic Relations:
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The Egyptian Investments in Rwanda are estimated around 15 million USD in the Construction and Mining sectors.
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The Egyptian Rwandan trade relations enjoy the privileges of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Egyptian products are witnessing an increasing demand in the Rwandan market allowing the Egyptian exports to reach 21 million dollars in 2014 from 14 million dollars in 2009.
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Egypt's main exports to Rwanda include mixtures of odoriferous substances and cane sugar.
Technical cooperation and assistance:
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Rwanda participates in around 55 to 70 training programs organized by Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) in cooperation with relevant ministries and institutes, in various fields including police and security, diplomacy, agriculture, irrigation and water resources management, health, media and electricity and power.
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The Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) dispatched two Egyptian medical convoys to Rwanda, in 2012 and 2014, in addition to sending several residing Egyptian doctors to provide their expertise to the Rwandan Hospitals.
Relations between Egypt and Uganda
Brief History:
The relations between Egypt and Uganda have deep roots with the Egyptian support to the Ugandan struggle for independence.
Egypt-Uganda relations are characterized by positive cooperation in various fields including energy, health, ICT, education and irrigation.
Mutual Visits and Meetings:
The past years witnessed a lot of mutual visits between Egypt and Uganda on different governmental levels, including:
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The visit of former Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs to Uganda on October 2013, heading a delegation included the ministers of Agriculture and Housing.
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The visit of former Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Recourses to Uganda on March 2014.
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The participation of the Ugandan Minister of Regional Affairs in the Egyptian Presidential inauguration ceremony on June 2014.
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H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held a meeting with H.E. President Yoweri Museveni on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Equatorial Guinea on June 2014.
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The visit of Ugandan State Ministers of Financial Affairs and Animal Production to Cairo on September 2014.
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The visit of the Inspector General of Ugandan Government to Cairo on February 2015, during which she met with the Chairman of the Administrative Control Authority and a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of expertise and training in combating corruption between the two countries was signed.
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The visit of H.E. Sam Kutesa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, to Egypt on March 2015, during which he met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and the his Egyptian counterpart to discuss several issues of mutual interest.
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The visit of H.E. Maria Mutagamba, Ugandan Minister of Tourism, to Cairo on April 2015, during which a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in tourism between the two countries was signed.
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A delegation from the Egyptian Institute for Diplomatic Studies visited Uganda on April 2015, during a Nile basin countries tour that included as well Ethiopia and Kenya.
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The visit of H.E. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Uganda on May 2015, during which he met with H.E. President Museveni to discuss the bilateral relations and regional African developments.
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The visit of the Permanent Secretary of the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Cairo on August 2015, to hold a joint consultation meeting concerning the bilateral relations and various regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Economic Relations:
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The trade volume between Egypt and Uganda reached 50 million USD in 2014 (Exports from Egypt: 48 million UDS, Imports to Egypt: 2 million USD).
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Egypts exports to Uganda include cane sugar, polyacetals and washing preparations. Egypt's imports from Uganda include tea and tobacco.
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A delegation of Egyptian businessmen visited Uganda on May 2013, and held meetings with Ministers of investment and trade and industry to discuss the economic relations between the two countries.
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13 Egyptian companies participated in Uganda International Commercial Fair on October 2014.
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60 Egyptian companies participated in the Egyptian products Fair in Uganda on March 2015.
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There is a noticeable increase in the activities of Egyptian companies and firms in Uganda, and among these companies and firms El-Nasr Export, Egypt Air, Cairo International Bank, Arab Contractors, Mantrac (Mansour Group), in addition the Qalaa Holdings acquired 85% stake in Rift Valley Railways (RVR) linking the port of Mombasa to Kampala.
Technical cooperation and assistance:
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The Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) is considered as the most important tool in providing technical assistance to Uganda and enhancing the cooperation between the two countries, through the assistance that it provides to capacity building and human development in Uganda in the fields of police, defense, judiciary, agriculture, water and irrigation, energy, health, diplomacy and media, in addition to the training courses organized by various Egyptian institutions in various fields including the Egyptian International Center of the Agriculture (EICA), the Cairo Center for Conflict Resolution & Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) and Police Academy.
Relations between Egypt and Kenya
Brief History:
Egyptian-Kenyan relations were always friendly and based on mutual cooperation whereas Egypt has always provided support and assistance to the Kenyan people during times of crisis. It can be noted that the historical relations between both countries began before the independence of Kenya, as Egypt during the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser, provided support to the Kenyan Mau Mau movement through a diplomatic and media campaign focused against the British occupation of Kenya. Furthermore a radio channel from Egypt in the Kiswahili language- the first of its kind in Africa- named " the voice of Africa" was first broadcasted from Egypt to support the Kenyan people in their struggle to liberate their country.
Egypt helped also turn the issue of supporting the Mau Mau movement and the release of Jomo Kenyatta into an African and an international issue, as Cairo was the first capital to open its doors to Kenyan national leaders and give them all possible assistance to revitalize their movement inside Kenya. And among those leaders who visited Cairo during this period were Oginga Odinga, Tom Mboya, James Gichuru, Joseph Murumbi and others such as members of the ruling Kenya African National Union "KANU" and the Kenya African Democratic Union "KADU" which opened two offices in Cairo during this period.
During the past decade, Egypt continued its policy to support Kenya, and provided the necessary assistance in times of crisis and during natural disasters such as droughts and floods, and this was achieved through the provision of food aid, medical and technical assistance to support the Kenyan people.
Mutual Visits:
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The visit of H.E. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, heading a high level delegation, to Kenya on January 2015, during which he presided the sixth round of the Egyptian Kenyan Joint Commission and held meetings with the Kenyan President, Vice President, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Speaker of the National Assembly.
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The visit of Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Trade to Cairo on January 2015 to attend the meeting of African ministers to discuss multilateral trading system and WTO's work.
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The visit of Kenyan Minister of Agriculture to Cairo on March 2015, during which he met with Egyptian Ministers of Industry and Foreign Trade, Supply and Internal Trade and Irrigation and Water Resources. The visit witnessed the signature of a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint model farm in Kenya.
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The visit of a delegation of members of Kenyan National Assembly on November 2015, during which they met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
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The visit of a delegation from National Defense College of Kenya, including students from several African countries, on March 2016 as part of a cooperation protocol with Nasser Military Academy. The delegation met during the visit with Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs.
Economic Relations:
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The trade volume between Egypt and Kenya reached 569 million USD in 2014 (Exports from Egypt: 244 million UDS, Imports to Egypt: 325 million USD).
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Egypt's exports to Kenya include cane sugar, toilet paper, washing preparations and plates and sheets of non-cellular plastics. Egypt's imports from Kenya include tea and tobacco.
Technical cooperation and assistance:-
Different Kenyan ministries and institutes participate in various training programs organized by Egypt specially those organized by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) in the fields of trade, ICT, transport and agriculture. In addition the Kenyan diplomats and officials participate in the training courses organized by the Egyptian International Center of the Agriculture (EICA), the Cairo Center for Conflict Resolution & Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) for the African countries.
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25 Kenyan engineers participated in a training course in the field of agricultural machinery organized by the Egyptian Initiative for Developing Nile Basin Countries during the period 23 May – 13 June 2014.
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Kenya participates in the annual training program of the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity for the technical cadres in the Nile Basin Countries, as well as the training courses organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.
Relations between Egypt and Ethiopia
Brief History:
Geography has played a crucial role in the history of relations between Egypt and Ethiopia. Religion could further be cited as another factor bringing the peoples of the two countries closer: the Ethiopian Church was part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when its Patriarch was appointed by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, Cyril VI; Ethiopian Muslims are also closely attached to al-Azhar al-Sharif, where they have their own column to study under, named al-Jabarta Column, under which numerous scholars studied such as Shaykh Abdurahman al-Jabarti, author of al-Jabarti's History of Egypt.
Other historical facts proves the deep roots of the relations between the two countries, including that Egypt represented by the National Bank of Egypt helped to inaugurate the first Ethiopian banking and financial system through the establishment of the first bank ever in Ethiopia, "The Bank of Abyssinia" in 1905. Operating in the capacity of a branch of the National Bank of Egypt, it was in charge of minting money, trading in gold and silver, stockpiling staple commodities and investments. In a sense, it operated as both a central and a commercial bank until 1931 when it was handed over to the Ethiopian government.
Egypt and Ethiopia have enjoyed strong relations throughout their history. Egypt believes in the importance of supporting economic and trade relations with Ethiopia due to its potential benefits for both sides, which would create a network of mutual interests boosting political relations and, therefore, reflect positively on the level of confidence and cooperation between the two sides in all areas
Mutual Visits:
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Ethiopian public diplomacy delegation, led by H.E. Abadulla Gemeda the Speaker of the House of Peoples' Representative of the Ethiopian Parliament with the participation of 65 Ethiopian public figures in various fields, visited Egypt on December 2014. During the visit, the delegation met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.
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His Holiness Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, visited Egypt on January 2015, where he met with the President, Prime Minister, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. During the visit, His Holiness visited Alexandria and several churches and monasteries in Cairo.
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H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited Addis Ababa on March 2015, which is the first Egyptian presidential bilateral visit in 30 years, during which he met with Ethiopian President, Prime Minister, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and Chairman of the Ethiopian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Ethiopian public diplomacy delegation.
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The Ethiopian Prime Minister visited Egypt on August 2015 to attend the. inauguration ceremony of the New Suez Canal.
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H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received two representatives of the Ethiopian public diplomacy delegation on December 2015.
Economic Relations:
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The trade volume between Egypt and Ethiopia reached 140 million USD in 2014 (Exports from Egypt: 88 million UDS, Imports to Egypt: 52 million USD).
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Egypt's exports to Ethiopia include paraffin wax, mixtures of odoriferous substances, and copper weld wire. Egypt's imports from Ethiopia include camels and calves.
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The Egyptian investments in Ethiopia are estimated around 2 billion USD, and several visits for more than 150 Egyptian businessmen from various fields to Ethiopia were organized in the past years.
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The National Bank of Egypt opened a branch in Addis Ababa to facilitate the financial procedures for the Egyptian investors, in addition the Arab Contractors opened an office in Addis Ababa.
Technical cooperation and assistance:
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Egypt presents through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) various training courses to Ethiopia in different fields including trade, transport diplomacy and agriculture. In addition to the Ethiopian participation in the training courses organized by the different Egyptian Ministers the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.
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EAPD regularly sends Egyptian medical convoys to Ethiopia, in addition to opening a number of Egyptian medical units, including gastrointestinal endoscopies and liver disease units in Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar. An Egyptian kidney dialysis center was opened in the Hospital of St. Paul in Addis Ababa on August 2013.
Relations between Egypt and Tanzania
Brief History:
The diplomatic relations between Egypt and Tanzania started in 1962, with very close relations between the two Leaders Gamal Abdel Nasser and Julius Nyerere.
Egypt and Tanzania enjoy close relations, and a distinct cooperation between the two countries. There is a higher joint committee that convenes regularly to strengthen the trade, economic and cultural relations and other aspects of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Mutual Visits:
- Former Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Tanzania on February 2014 and handed over a message from former President Adly Mansour to former Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on Egypt's vision for boosting relations with Tanzania along with the recent developments in the region and the African continent.
- Former Egyptian Prime Minister visited Tanzania on April 2014, and participated in the 50th Tanzanian Independence Anniversary Celebrations.
- Tanzanian Foreign Minister visited Egypt on June 2014, to attend the inauguration ceremony of H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
- H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held a meeting with former Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Equatorial Guinea on June 2014.
- Egyptian Agriculture Minister visited Tanzania on November 2015, and participated in the inauguration ceremony of Tanzanian President John Magufuli.
Economic Relations:
- The trade volume between Egypt and Tanzania reached 36 million USD in 2014 (Exports from Egypt: 28 million UDS, Imports to Egypt: 8 million USD).
- Egypt's exports to Tanzania include can sugar and ammonium carbonate. Egypt's imports from Tanzania include copper.
Technical cooperation and assistance:
- Egypt presents through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) various training courses to Tanzania in different fields including trade, transport diplomacy and agriculture. In addition to the Tanzanian participation in the training courses organized by the different Egyptian Ministers the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.
- The Egyptian Islamic Centre in Dar es Salaam was established in 1968, and is considered as one of the most important tools in the cultural cooperation between the two countries, with more than 1400 students in it.
Relations between Egypt and Burundi
Brief History:
- Egypt is the first Arab and Islamic country to establish diplomatic relations with Burundi after independence in 1962, while the Egyptian embassy was opened on December 8th, 1964.
- Burundi appreciates Egypt's historical role in Africa, and always praises Egypt's continuous support during the Burundian civil war, which lasted more than a dozen of years.
- The two countries have a strong cooperation especially concerning the Egyptian aids to Burundi in capacity building and human developments in various fields.
Mutual Visits:
- The visit of interfaith dialogue counselor for the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to Bujumbura on March 2014 to participate in the Interfaith Conference.
- The visit of a delegation from the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development to Burundi on February 2015 to discuss the Burundian needs of technical support and assistance in the fields of health and traffic planning, in addition to providing universities scholarships for the Burundian students.
- The visit of Mr. Mohamed Rukara, the special adviser to President Pierre Nkurunziza on February 2015, during which he met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sis.
- The visit of the 1st Vice President of Burundi to participate in the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on June 2015.
- H.E. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with his Burundian counterpart Alain Nyamitwe, on the sidelines of the AU Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa on January 2016 to discuss the political crisis in Burundi and the results of the UNSC delegation's visit to Bujumbura with the participation of Egypt.
- The visit of Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs, Ambassador Hamdi Loza, to Burundi on January 2016, where he met with H.E. President Pierre Nkurunziza.
- The visit of Burundian Minister of Energy and Mines to participate in the African Smart Grid Forum on March 2016.
- The visit of a delegation of experts from the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, to Burundi on March 2016, to provide technical support and maintenance of the Burundian Electric Network.
- The visit of H.E. Alain Nyamitwe, Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Cairo on April 2016, during which he met with H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, and the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Economic Relations:
- The trade volume between Egypt and Burundi reached 10.2 million USD in 2014 (Exports from Egypt: 10 million UDS, Imports to Egypt: 200 thousand USD).
- Egypt's exports to Burundi include mixtures of odoriferous substances and malt. Egypt's imports from Burundi include tea.
Technical cooperation and assistance:
- Egypt presents through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) various training courses to Burundi in different fields including trade, transport diplomacy, health, irrigation, water resources management and agriculture. In addition to the Burundian participation in the training courses organized by the different Egyptian Ministers the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.
- The EAPD provided as well different logistic aids to Burundi in the past years, including a medical aid, in cooperation with Heart Science Centre (Magdi Yacoub Institute) in Aswan, of two modern sonar devices to diagnose heart diseases that were delivered to two hospitals in Bujumbura on March 2016.