Egypt and Qatar stress need for dialogue over Strait of Hormuz

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Cairo on Thursday for talks on bilateral cooperation and regional deescalation.

Abdelatty noted the progress in economic ties between the two countries, and Qatar’s investment in a project on Egypt’s mediterranean coast:

"Regarding the investment sector, this is naturally a massive deal, we are talking about a transaction exceeding 29 billion dollars, and we take pride in this deal as it reflects complete confidence in the investment climate here in Egypt."

Al-Thani stressed that agreements under the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran must be implemented.

He also urged dialogue and diplomacy in resolving the ongoing conflict in the region and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz:

"We must also not forget that freedom of navigation must be guaranteed without requiring efforts from any specific country, and these maritime corridors must not be held hostage to any political extortion. The State of Qatar is working in consultation with our brothers in the Gulf Cooperation Council and in the region to find alternative diplomatic paths with the Iranian side to restore navigation to its normal situation.”

The meeting took place on the sidelines of other high level Qatari–Egyptian talks, including a meeting between Al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.