Our visit to Egypt was concluded today. It is a country with which we maintain traditional bonds, a strategic partner of Greece. A country with which we have developed exceptional bilateral relations over the past years. We share common roots, traditions, and, of course, a common philosophy on our bilateral and multilateral issues.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister met with Egyptian President Sisi. They extensively discussed issues concerning our bilateral relations, primarily focusing on energy, the Egypt-Greece electricity interconnection project, which will create conditions for energy autonomy and diversification, benefiting both our country and Europe.
They also discussed issues related to civil protection, particularly the need to develop synergies to tackle the climate crisis, which has severely affected both our countries and has been particularly harsh on Greece this year due to the devastating wildfires. Additionally, we talked about our collaboration on a multilateral level, especially the trilateral cooperation with Cyprus, to which we attach particular importance and we will expand further in the near future.
Today, I had the opportunity to have a more in-depth discussion with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry. It was an exceptionally productive meeting. Our discussions expanded to regional issues in Africa, the Middle East, and our broader neighborhood, the Eastern Mediterranean. There was a convergence of views on nearly all issues and we agreed to harmonize our practices in order to produce better results in international fora.
In this regard, we will continue our cooperation; there will be further exchange of visits and, of course, meetings which will take place in the margins of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. Our aim is to maintain and strengthen this strategic relationship we have with Egypt.
Yesterday, as part of the Greek delegation led by the Prime Minister, we had the honor of visiting and paying tribute at the Memorial for the Greeks Fallen at the Battle of El-Alamein, a place of significant importance for the outcome of the Second World War. There, in a deeply moving atmosphere, we met with the Patriarch of Alexandria, a beacon of Orthodoxy. We renewed our commitment to meeting again in the immediate future.
Through our presence at the Memorial of the Greeks Fallen at the Battle of El-Alamein, we highlighted Greece's contribution to the Second World War and its broader role in international relations.
August 4, 2023