First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic met today with the Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Serbia at the invitation of the President of the National Assembly Maja Gojkovic. In addition to meeting the President of the National Assembly and addressing the members of the Parliament in a special session, Mr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed was received by the President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic.

Minister Dacic warmly welcomed his guest and said that even today Egypt evokes fond memories of shared history between our two countries and reiterated Serbia's full readiness to translate excellent political relations between Belgrade and Cairo into corresponding level of bilateral economic cooperation in the forthcoming period.

Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed emphasized that the friendship between the two countries which has not started today has a 110 year-long history. He said that Egypt shared the same sentiments for Belgrade and Serbia. He thanked Serbia for its support in June 2013 as well as Serbia's support to Cairo in its struggle against terrorism.

Both sides noted that revitalization of the Joint Committee for economic cooperation which will take place soon will enable to define all fields of cooperation for which there are realistic interests and potentials. Mr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed provided information on the capacities of Egyptian economy, with emphasis on civil engineering construction, telecommunications and river shipping owing to which Egypt has increased its presence in the African and South-Eastern Asia markets, having built Suez Canal II on its own.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said that he expected the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry to visit Belgrade within the context of stepping up political dialogue between the two countries at high and highest level.