Egypt, Indonesia sign 2 agreements

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi on Friday signed two Memorandums of Understanding on the sidelines of a summit meeting between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo in Jakarta.

Under the first MoU, diplomats of both countries should be exempted from entry visas to the other country.

The second MoU aims to promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of diplomatic training.

For her part, Marsudi said that the two presidents discussed three main issues related to supporting trade relations and investments, enhancing cooperation to correct perceptions about Islam and confronting extremism and terrorism and the Indonesian nationals residing in Egypt.

They also talked about Indonesians living in Egypt, with Sisi assuring Widodo that all foreigners are protected in Egypt, Marsudi added.

The two leaders also discussed an Indonesian initiative on coordinating efforts between Islamic countries to support security and stability in the world and to highlight the true image of Islam, the Indonesian minister said.

Indonesia has proposed a meeting of Islamic countries under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss those important issues, she added.

Egyptian President Sisi arrived in Jakarta on Friday, at the end of an Asian tour that also took him to Singapore and China.

President Sisi's visit, to be concluded on Saturday, is the first by an Egyptian president since 1983.

Egypt was the first country to recognize Indonesia's independence. That was on August 17, 1945. Egypt was also the first country to sign a friendship agreement with Indonesia in 1947. Both countries are considered founders of both the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Islamic G8.

Source: MENA