The Presidency
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Your Excellency Mr. Péter Magyar, Prime Minister of Hungary,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to renew my congratulations to His Excellency the Prime Minister on assuming the responsibility of leading the Hungarian government. I wish him and his government every success in the discharge of their duties.
I am pleased to be among you today in Budapest, the historic capital of your great nation, with which we share deep-rooted historical ties, enduring friendship, and multifaceted strategic partnership spanning numerous fields.
I would also like to seize this opportunity to extend my congratulations to the friendly Hungarian people on the anniversary of the 23 October 1956 Revolution, which represents a source of pride for the Hungarian people in their freedom and national identity.
I would further like to express my sincere appreciation for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to me, as well as for the constructive talks we held, which reflected the mutual political will to translate our understandings into practical plans to strengthen the partnership between our two friendly countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Over many decades, Egyptian-Hungarian relations have demonstrated their ability to endure and evolve despite changing political circumstances and changes in government. This reflects the depth of the bonds between our two peoples, rooted in solid foundations and a long-term vision for the interests of both countries.
Prominent Egyptian and Hungarian figures have contributed to consolidating relations between our two countries. Today, I would particularly like to recall Max Herz Pasha, the Hungarian architect who played an important role in preserving and restoring a number of Islamic and Coptic monuments and contributed to safeguarding part of Cairo’s historic architectural heritage in the early twentieth century.
This example demonstrates that cooperation between our two countries has not been confined to political and economic relations; it has also extended to culture, knowledge, and the preservation of our shared human heritage.
Building on this rich historical legacy, we look forward to joint work paving the way for the year 2028—which marks the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Hungary—to be an important milestone in the trajectory of cooperation between our two countries.
On the occasion of this centenary, I have extended an invitation to His Excellency the President of Hungary and His Excellency the Prime Minister to visit Egypt, with a view to broadening the scope of our strategic partnership and laying practical foundations for new avenues of cooperation.
Distinguished Guests,
Our talks today addressed ways to boost economic and investment relations between Egypt and Hungary, in light of the notable progress these relations have witnessed in recent years.
We agreed to engage in exploratory talks to leverage Egypt’s capabilities in the fields of energy infrastructure, gas transportation networks, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) reception and re-gasification facilities, in accordance with the findings of the relevant technical and commercial studies.
We also discussed mechanisms for fostering ties between business institutions and the opportunities available to the Hungarian business community in Egypt, enabling it to benefit from the competitive advantages offered by the Egyptian economy. These include Egypt’s strategic location, the size of its market, its transportation networks and ports, and its trade agreements, which provide access to broad regional and international markets.
I would particularly like to highlight the opportunities offered by Egypt’s special economic zones, foremost among them the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This zone provides investors with a conducive environment for establishing industrial, logistics, and export-oriented projects, supported by advanced infrastructure, a strategic location that facilitates access to African and Arab markets, and its role as a key hub for integration among supply chains across different regions.
I also wish to express my deep appreciation for the Prime Minister’s vision regarding the revitalization of the Visegrád Group and the bolstering of its role among the countries of Central Europe, considering it an important channel for engagement with the countries of the Global South through the Visegrád Plus format.
We look forward to strengthening our channels of communication with the group’s member countries in ways that open up new prospects for economic and investment partnerships.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I discussed with His Excellency the Prime Minister mechanisms for enhancing cooperation between Egypt and Hungary within the framework of our strategic relations with the European Union, particularly given that our two countries share common interests in a number of files. Foremost among these are combating illegal immigration, countering terrorism, strengthening border security, and safeguarding the security of international trade routes. These issues constitute fundamental pillars of security and stability in Europe, as well as in the Middle East and Africa.
Distinguished Guests,
Our discussions provided an opportunity to exchange views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest, particularly given that the security of our region is inseparable from the security of Europe.
In this regard, I reaffirm that achieving lasting peace in the Middle East will not be possible without reaching a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian question on the basis of the two-state solution.
This solution must guarantee the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside the State of Israel, with both states living side by side in peace and security.
I also reiterate Egypt’s categorical rejection of any attempts aimed at altering the demographic or geographic reality in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, undermining the rights of the Palestinian people, or forcibly displacing them from their land. Such actions would have serious repercussions, including for Europe.
In this context, we look forward to concerted international efforts to alleviate the suffering of our brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, and create the conditions necessary for the resumption of a serious political process that brings an end to this prolonged conflict and paves the way for a just and lasting peace.
We further discussed developments in Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Somalia, as well as the challenges these developments pose to regional and international security and stability.
I emphasize that respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and adhering to the rules of international law, constitute an indispensable foundation for preserving stability.
We also exchanged views on the Ukrainian crisis. In this regard, I reaffirm Egypt’s steadfast position on the importance of prioritizing political solutions, de-escalating tensions, and respecting the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. We affirm our keenness to continue exerting all possible efforts to support endeavors aimed at reaching a political settlement to the crisis.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The rich history binding Egypt and Hungary, our common interests, and our ambitious vision for the future place a shared responsibility upon us to elevate our relations to a level commensurate with the potential and standing of our two countries.
I am confident that the coming period will witness further progress in our bilateral relations and that our celebration of the centenary of diplomatic relations in 2028 will serve as a launching point for broader horizons of cooperation.
I once again extend my thanks to His Excellency the Prime Minister of Hungary. I look forward to continuing our joint efforts in the coming period to elevate relations between our two countries to broader avenues, in a manner that serves the interests of our two friendly peoples and strengthens shared stability and prosperity.
Thank you very much.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
