Egyptian president attends first BRICS Plus summit in Russia
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took part in the BRICS Plus summit in the Russian city of Kazan on October 24th marking the country’s first appearance since joining the community in January according to AFP and agencies.
The BRICS is made up of some of the world’s leading emerging economies, including Brazil, India, Russia, and China. Egypt is currently the only North African member, although Morocco hopes to gain entry.
Al-Sisi’s hailed Russia’s warming ties with Cairo praising “the development of bilateral relations and Moscow’s effective contribution to “national projects” in a statement aired by Russian news agencies.
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During the meeting, Putin described Egypt as a “long-term and reliable partner of Russia” and said that, according to Russian media, “Egypt accounts for about a third of all trade turnover between Russia and Africa.”
The Kremlin’s most significant infrastructure investment is Egypt’s first nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast, built by Russia’s state atomic energy corporation Rosatom.
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The gathering in Kazan marks the largest diplomatic event in Russia since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Despite Western efforts to economically isolate Moscow, namely by Washington which provides Cairo with key military aid, Egypt has maintained close ties with Russia, prioritising its economic interests over those of the US.
Agence France Presse
