The official welcoming ceremony included a parade by the Royal Guard in the palace courtyard, where King Philippe personally greeted Sisi and escorted him to his private office for a commemorative photo.
Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, the official spokesperson
for the Egyptian Presidency, stated that King Philippe opened the meeting by
welcoming President Sisi and expressing appreciation for the visit, which he
said reflected the deep, historic ties between Egypt and Belgium at both the
official and popular levels. The King praised the noticeable development in
political coordination and consultation between the two nations in recent
years.
King Philippe also commended the intensive efforts exerted
by Egypt and President Sisi personally, in coordination with other mediators,
to secure the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. He stressed that these
efforts represent a fundamental pillar in supporting regional stability and
enhancing prospects for peace.
For his part, President Sisi expressed his anticipation for
King Philippe's participation in the inauguration ceremony of the Grand
Egyptian Museum (GEM), scheduled for November 1. Sisi noted that the King's
presence would carry special significance given the deep interest the Royal
Family and the Belgian people hold for ancient Egyptian civilization.
The President also expressed Egypt's hope to boost the flow
of tourism from Belgium.
The official spokesperson added that the meeting also
addressed the importance of increasing the volume of Belgian investments in Egypt,
particularly in light of Egypt's promising potential and investment
opportunities, in addition to exploring ways to enhance bilateral relations
across all fields.
King Philippe expressed his appreciation for President Sisi's commitment to developing cooperation ties between the two countries. He affirmed that the Belgian people value Egypt's pivotal role in consolidating stability in the Middle East and the Southern Mediterranean region, stressing the importance of joint governmental action to address challenges and achieve the aspirations of the Egyptian and Belgian peoples.