Egypt and Thailand sign agreements to boost trade and investment

Egypt and Thailand have convened the third session of their Joint Ministerial Committee in Bangkok to strengthen bilateral economic and diplomatic ties. This meeting marks the first session of the committee in 20 years.

During the summit, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atty met with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. The officials discussed increasing the current bilateral trade volume, which stands at approximately $1.2 billion, and exploring investment opportunities in sectors such as tourism, textiles, and food industries.

Three key agreements were signed: a joint action plan for 2027–2029, a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation, and a memorandum regarding trilateral development cooperation between the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA). Additionally, both nations agreed to terminate their mutual visa-exemption agreement for diplomatic, official, service, and special passport holders.

Discussions also touched upon regional stability in the Middle East and the Red Sea, as well as the Thailand-Africa Initiative. Minister Abdel-Atty highlighted Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) as a strategic gateway for Thai companies to access African, Arab, and European markets.