Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met on Tuesday with Senegal’s Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, Cheikh Niang, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and coordinating positions on regional and international issues ahead of the upcoming African Union summit.
In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry said Abdelatty praised the growing ties between Cairo and Dakar, describing Senegal as a strategic partner for Egypt in West Africa. He also congratulated Senegal on assuming the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as its joint presidency with the UAE of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
Abdelatty said Egypt stands ready to support Senegal’s five-year development plan and “Vision 2050” by sharing its expertise across a range of sectors, including infrastructure development, new cities, irrigation networks, land reclamation, agricultural industries, livestock and fisheries development, and strategic crop cultivation.
He also highlighted Egyptian companies’ interest in expanding pharmaceutical exports to Senegal, referring to discussions held with investors during his visit to Dakar in July 2025.
On education, Abdelatty noted plans to expand French-language university programmes in Egypt to attract Senegalese students. He also pointed to the upcoming inauguration of Senghor University in Alexandria, which aims to strengthen academic cooperation with Francophone African countries.
At the regional level, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for counter-terrorism efforts in West Africa and the Sahel, stressing the need for comprehensive approaches that combine security and development. The two ministers also exchanged views on developments in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Both sides agreed to intensify political coordination, enhance mutual support for international positions, and deepen cooperation to promote peace and development across Africa, particularly as Egypt chairs the African Union Peace and Security Council while Senegal leads the African Ministers’ Council on Water.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Egypt’s Diplomatic Studies Institute and Senegal’s National School of Administration to enhance cooperation in diplomatic training.
