Pakistan |
Egypt |
Egypt and Pakistan have warm, cordial and brotherly relations based on common bonds of religion, culture, values and commonality of interests. [1][2]
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Egypt has an embassy in Islamabad and Pakistan has an embassy in Cairo.
Egypt and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1951, and since then they have maintained time-honored relations. Even before the independence of Pakistan, the only country that was visited by Muhammed Ali Jinnah was Egypt. In 1951, the two countries signed a friendship agreement, signifying the strong ties between the two countries. Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser, who visited Pakistan in 1960 for the first time, interfered to halt the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Pakistan played host to some Egyptian warships during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 Egyptian-Israeli war. [3]
Pakistan and Egypt have close diplomatic and trade relations. Both countries are members of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation), "the next eleven" and the "D8". The two countries are jointly coordinating on different fronts in international organizations, in September 2008, under the banner of OIC, Egypt and Pakistan, on behalf of the Muslim World, presented and sponsored a UN Human Rights Council Resolution to ban defaming of religion.[4]
Egypt continues to support Pakistan in its war against terrorism. In May 2009, Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister visited Islamabad to show Egypt’s support and solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan. Along with the visit, Egypt was the first country to send relief consignment for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and still sending humanitarian assistance to Pakistan for the same purpose. Pakistan Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani, on assuming his office, made his first trip abroad to Egypt, within a year time, Gilani visited Egypt again in July 2009.[5]
Economically, the volume of trade between the two countries increased by 55% in 2007-2008 to reach $313 millions, which still remains relatively low compared to the potentials and the close relations which both countries enjoy.In investment, among the different Egyptian enterprises investing in the Pakistani market, Orascom Telecom Holding is the owner of Mobilink, one of the largest telecommunication company in Pakistan with a total investment exceeding 2 billion USD. On the other side, several Pakistani investments in the field of textile industry are based now in Egypt.[6]
Egypt and Pakistan have agreed to enhance the existing level of co-operation between the two countries which include economic and commercial relations, investment opportunities, co-operation in public and civil services, health sector, agriculture, and postal, both countries would further enhance their co-operation in the alternative energy sector particularly wind power generation.[7] In addition, Egypt and Pakistan have started to open up new windows for cooperation in several fields, including agriculture, health, higher education, technical support, ICT, and others.[8]
There are over 700 Pakistanis living in Egypt, mainly in Cairo and Alexandria. Relations are helped by the fact that both states are majority-Muslim and and there is a strong people to people contact between both countries, Al-Azhar University continues to offer its 30 scholarships to the Pakistani students each year, this number will rise to 50 soon. Additionally, 30 Egyptian professors have been sent to teach at the International Islamic University in Islamabad. Furthermore, Pakistani scholars benefit from the scholarships offered by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.[9]
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