Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares held high-level political consultations in Madrid on Monday aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and coordinating positions on mounting regional and international crises.
The talks reflected the growing momentum in relations between Egypt and Spain following the launch of a strategic partnership framework between the two countries in February 2025 — a development both sides described as a major turning point in diplomatic and economic ties.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khallaf, Abdelatty praised the “advanced level” reached in Egyptian-Spanish relations, emphasizing the importance of accelerating implementation of the strategic partnership agreement and activating its various cooperation mechanisms.
The Egyptian foreign minister highlighted the increasing pace of high-level exchanges between Cairo and Madrid, stressing Egypt’s interest in expanding economic and trade cooperation and attracting more Spanish investments into the Egyptian market.
Abdelatty pointed to what he described as promising investment opportunities across key sectors including renewable and clean energy, information technology, tourism, and infrastructure, while also underscoring the importance of building on the success of the recent Egyptian-Spanish Business Forum held in Cairo during the visit of Felipe VI to Egypt in September 2025.
Migration cooperation also featured prominently during the discussions, with Abdelatty welcoming the renewal of a bilateral memorandum of understanding on migration cooperation between the two countries.
The talks additionally covered collaboration in higher education, scientific research, healthcare, tourism, and cultural exchange areas both governments said demonstrate the growing depth and diversity of the Egyptian-Spanish strategic relationship.
Regional crises dominated a significant portion of the consultations.
On the Palestinian issue, Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s appreciation for Spain’s positions supporting Palestinian rights, while stressing the importance of implementing the first phase of the American-backed Gaza plan and moving quickly toward the second phase.
He also emphasized the need for the Palestinian national committee tasked with administering the Gaza Strip to begin operating from inside Gaza as soon as possible, alongside the rapid deployment of an international stabilization force.
The ministers also exchanged views on escalating tensions across the Middle East, with Abdelatty underlining the importance of supporting the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiation track and prioritizing diplomatic solutions over military escalation.
He highlighted Egypt’s intensive diplomatic contacts aimed at reducing regional tensions and preventing further deterioration of the security situation.
Sudan’s ongoing conflict was another major focus of the talks.
Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s efforts within the international quartet framework addressing the Sudanese crisis, calling for intensified regional and international efforts to secure a humanitarian truce leading to a comprehensive ceasefire and a Sudanese-owned political process.
He stressed the urgent importance of ensuring unrestricted humanitarian aid access to the Sudanese population amid worsening conditions on the ground. The consultations also addressed developments in the Horn of Africa, where Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s longstanding position supporting stability, state institutions, and territorial integrity across the region.
He described the Horn of Africa as a direct extension of Egypt’s national security sphere, underscoring Cairo’s commitment to preserving stability and sovereignty throughout the strategically vital region. For his part, Albares praised Egypt’s role in promoting regional security and stability and commended Cairo’s diplomatic efforts to contain regional escalation.
The Spanish foreign minister also reaffirmed Madrid’s commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership with Egypt and expanding cooperation across all fields of mutual interest.
At the conclusion of the talks, both ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining close consultation and coordination under the framework of the strategic partnership while continuing joint efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions and preventing the Middle East from sliding into deeper instability.
