Egyptian FM meets JICA official in Tokyo

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, currently on a visit to Japan, met Wednesday with acting chairman of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said.

During the meeting, Shoukry praised the role played by JICA in support of Egypt, contributing to a number of important national projects over the past decades, Abu Zeid said.

The top diplomat told the JICA official that Cairo is looking forward to reviving relations with Tokyo to meet the Egyptian development demands, the spokesman added.

Shoukry pressed for action to end negotiations about a number of mega projects in the fields of traditional and renewable energy, transport and health, Abu Zeid further said.

Shoukry is in Japan to prepare for a visit by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to the Asian country early in 2016.

He told the JICA official Sisi is keen on benefiting from the Japanese expertise in the field of education, not only as a key element to achieve sustainable development but also as a means to fight extremist ideologies.

The Japanese official, for his part, said his country values friendly relations with Egypt.

He made it clear that JICA is currently contributing to important projects in Egypt, such as the Egypt Japan University of Science and Technology, the first phase of the fourth metro line and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Sources: MENA