CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida affirmed on Sunday the need for a ceasefire in Sudan and encouraged political dialogue between the warring factions.
The two leaders discussed mutual efforts in several fields to serve common interests and reviewed the economic, legislative, and structural reforms implemented in Egypt to stimulate the business and investment climate.
Kishida expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s efforts in evacuating Japanese citizens from Sudan and offered his condolences on the death of an Egyptian diplomatic envoy during his mission.
He arrived in Egypt on Saturday for a three-day visit as part of his four-nation Africa tour, his first visit to the region since taking office in October 2021. In addition to his visit to Egypt, Kishida’s African tour includes Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique.
El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s deep appreciation for Japan’s support for national projects, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum and Egyptian-Japanese schools.
He also laid out incentives and guarantees provided by Egypt for investors, promising investment opportunities in various fields, and invited the Japanese government to encourage Japanese companies to invest more in Egypt.
Japan’s investment in Egypt
According to a recent report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Japanese investments in Egypt reached $73.7 million during FY2021/2022, up from $37.1 million the previous year, an increase of 98.7 percent.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency has also increased its support for development projects in Egypt, including a $301 million loan approved in December 2022 for developing Egypt’s fourth metro line and a $336 million agreement signed in February of this year to support the Universal Health Insurance System over seven years.
The relations between Egypt and Japan have been strengthened through increased political, economic, and cultural exchanges.
The visit by Kishida to Africa demonstrates Japan’s commitment to the international order based on the rule of law in preparation for the G7 Hiroshima Summit, scheduled to be held on May 19-25, and to strengthen cooperation on global issues.
