El Alamein (Egypt), August 20 (QNA) - The seventh session of the Joint Higher Committee between the State of Qatar and the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt convened today in El Alamein.
The Qatari side was chaired by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, while that of Egypt was headed by HE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Badr Abdelatty.
During the session, the two sides reviewed cooperation relations between both countries and ways to support and strengthen them, particularly in the fields of economy, investment, diplomacy, health, agriculture, and food security. Both sides commended the qualitative leap in Qatari-Egyptian relations guided by the leadership of both nations, and the growing pace of high-level visits, which reflects a shared political will to elevate these relations to broader horizons.
The latest regional developments were also discussed, along with diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and contain tensions and enhance security and stability in the region, in addition to the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories.
In this context, both sides affirmed their rejection of any scenarios aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land or altering the demographic or geographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territories. They stressed the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the security, safety, and freedom of maritime navigation and the flow of international trade. They also emphasized the importance of continued coordination between Doha and Cairo to reach a final and sustainable agreement that ends the war and military escalation and addresses the concerns of the brotherly Gulf states.
The session also addressed the latest developments in the Sudanese crisis. In this regard, both sides emphasized the importance of the international community fulfilling its responsibilities towards Sudan's neighboring countries. They stressed the necessity of preserving Sudan's unity and territorial integrity, rejecting any threat to its unity or the establishment of parallel entities, and supporting Sudanese state institutions as a fundamental pillar for restoring security and stability.
They signed a draft agreement on mutual administrative assistance for the optimal application of the customs law and for the suppression, investigation and combat of customs violations, a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of oversight work between the State Audit Bureau of the State of Qatar and the Central Auditing Organization of the Arab Republic of Egypt, a memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the Qatar Fund for Development and the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, and a grant agreement between the Qatar Fund for Development and the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population regarding the establishment of HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani Hospital in Sohag Governorate in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in addition to the minutes of the seventh session of the Joint Higher Committee. (QNA)