Egyptian and Bulgarian officials have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in the fields of defense and natural gas, according to a joint statement released by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
The MoUs were signed during the first meeting of the joint cooperation committee between the two countries, co-chaired by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel.
The first MoU was signed between the defense ministries of both countries and the second between the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy, according to the statement.
During the meeting, the Egyptian delegation presented opportunities for Bulgaria to invest in Egypt’s vital Suez Canal Economic Zone, and urged Bulgarian companies to invest in the emerging IT sector in Egypt.
“They agreed to work together to improve their connectivity and transport links by establishing closer cooperation between their seaports and encouraging their national air carriers to advance their cooperation towards establishing direct flights between Sofia and Cairo,” said the statement.
The committee also discussed the growing regional and international tensions, “with a particular focus on the ongoing war in the occupied Gaza Strip, and the potential regional spillovers.”
The two sides agreed to convene their joint cooperation committee annually and to hold the next meeting in Bulgaria in 2025. ■
