Macut: Cooperation with Egypt can be stepped up

CAIRO - Serbian PM Djuro Macut, who is on a several-day visit to Egypt, said on Monday the cooperation with the country could be stepped up in several areas, such as establishment of direct flights between Belgrade and Cairo, and announced the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS) would open an office in the Egyptian capital by the end of this year.

Speaking to reporters about his meeting with Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly, Macut said they had discussed topics introduced last year and practical matters, such as direct flights between the two capitals, which he said would be reciprocal and likely to be operated twice a week.

"The first year will be one of market exploration, to see where we stand with numbers. What will be very important is that we also establish a visa regime, to accelerate the visa process in a way, because I think that Egypt, a country with a population of around 110 million, is a country with a high percentage of people who want to travel. We already know that Egyptians are very prone to travelling, to exploring new countries and new destinations, and Serbia is certainly a European country that views them favourably due to the friendship and for historical reasons," Macut said in Cairo.

He said EXPO 2027 Belgrade would also be addressed during his visit and that Egypt would have its pavilion at the event.

"I proposed that the presentation of Egypt in Serbia also include a section that will be a theme exhibition about the Egyptian civilisation," he said.

"I also announced an event for September 1, hopefully it will happen, too. It is, in fact, a commemoration of 65 years since the first summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in Belgrade in 1961, and I personally invited PM Madbouly to come to Belgrade, which he accepted with pleasure," Macut noted.

He said the cooperation with Egypt could be stepped up in several areas and that he expected the PKS to open an office in Cairo by the end of the year.

"It is absolutely needed and necessary for Serbia to establish its first economic representative office in Africa and that, in that way, we ensure that the FTA with Egypt becomes more active," Macut said, adding that more concrete discussions about infrastructure would be held soon.