Del Rosario off to Egypt to bolster bilateral relations

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario will fly to Cairo tomorrow on an official visit to further strengthen bilateral relations between the Philippines and Egypt, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Del Rosario will meet with his Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy.

The one-day visit is aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries and exploring various fields of cooperation.

Three agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. These include the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation and the Visa Waiver Agreement for Holders of Diplomatic Passports.

The two officials will also witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.

Del Rosario will brief Fahmy on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and on regional developments, such as the disputes in the West Philippine Sea and the outcome of the 24th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Myanmar last May 11.

The two foreign ministers will also exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa.

Egypt opened its borders to 3,000 transiting Filipinos who were evacuated from Libya in 2011.

The Philippines and Egypt established diplomatic relations in 1946, and the two countries wil celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their bilateral relations in 2016.

The Philippines opened an embassy in Cairo in the 1960s, the only Philippine post in the Arab and African region until mid-1970s.