New Delhi (thestates.news)| External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with the new Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, amid the heightening of tensions in the Middle East region where Cairo has been trying to broker a cease-fire in the Gaza war. In a post on X, the EAM said that he looks forward to working with Abdelatty. “Delighted to speak with the new Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty. “Congratulated him on assuming this responsibility and look forward to working with him.” On July 3, Badr Abdelatty, a career diplomat, replaced Sameh Shoukry as Egypt’s foreign affairs minister after Shoukry held the post for 12 years.
Abdelatty, 58, took charge of two merged ministries: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriate’s Affairs. Abdelatty has previously served as Egypt’s ambassador to Brussels and the EU from 2022 onwards. He is known as “the architect of Egyptian-European relations over the last decade”. Egypt has also been actively involved in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
India and Egypt have been forging closer relations, with PM Modi visiting Egypt in July 2023, in the first visit by an Indian PM in 26 years. The two sides also elevated the ties to strategic partnership.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was chief guest at the Republic Day parade in January 2023. (UNI)