Egypt-Thailand bilateral relations expansion

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conducted a landmark visit to Bangkok, the first by an Egyptian foreign minister to Thailand in 30 years. The visit focused on expanding political, economic, and investment cooperation through meetings with Thai officials and participation in the Egyptian-Thai Joint Ministerial Committee.

During the third session of the Joint Ministerial Committee—the first such session in 20 years—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 bilateral trade, which currently stands at approximately $1.2 billion, and explored investment opportunities in tourism, textiles, and the food industries.

Following these discussions, the two nations signed three agreements: 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.

A key component of the partnership involves using Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) as a strategic gateway for Thai companies to reach African, Arab, and European markets. Discussions also addressed regional stability in the Middle East and the Red Sea, alongside the Thailand-Africa Initiative.