Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a significant diplomatic encounter underscoring deepening bilateral ties, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly welcomed King Felipe VI of Spain at the Cabinet headquarters in Cairo. The meeting, held as part of the Spanish monarch’s state visit to Egypt, marked a continuation of the momentum generated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s visit to Spain earlier this year.
The visit was attended by several senior Egyptian officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Eng. Hassan El-Khatib, Egypt’s Ambassador to Spain Ihab Badawi, and Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs Wael Hamed.
Prime Minister Madbouly opened the meeting by extending a warm welcome to King Felipe VI, describing the visit as “historic” and a reflection of the evolving strategic relationship between Egypt and Spain. He highlighted that President El-Sisi’s visit to Spain in February 2025, which resulted in the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, laid the foundation for a new era of cooperation. That visit saw the signing of several memoranda of understanding across a broad range of sectors including economy, industry, tourism, migration, and transport.
Madbouly praised the longstanding ties between Cairo and Madrid, and noted the symbolic and practical importance of King Felipe VI’s visit, particularly his meeting with President El-Sisi. He emphasized Egypt’s recent economic reforms and efforts to create a more attractive environment for foreign investment, stressing that Spain is considered a vital partner in this context.
The Prime Minister expressed hopes that the Spanish monarch would return later this year, alongside Spain’s Prime Minister and other senior officials, to attend the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum scheduled for early November.
Expanding Investment and Economic Cooperation
Madbouly outlined Egypt’s ambitious infrastructure development over the past decade, pointing to the transformation in transport, seaports, and industrial zones. He specifically highlighted the Suez Canal Economic Zone as a strategic hub with immense potential for Spanish investment. With Egypt’s numerous free trade agreements across the Arab world and Africa, he suggested that Spanish companies could use Egypt as a gateway to larger regional markets.
The Prime Minister welcomed the increasing involvement of Spanish firms in Egypt’s energy sector, particularly in renewable energy and green hydrogen production. He also noted that Spanish investments in Egypt had reached nearly €883 million as of July 2024.
There is significant scope for expanding cooperation in vital areas, Madbouly said, such as manufacturing, agricultural investment, and joint ventures that support Egypt’s goal of localizing industries and increasing local content in development projects. He referenced successful past collaborations, particularly in transportation, as models to replicate across other sectors.
Tourism was also on the agenda, with Madbouly stressing Egypt’s interest in leveraging Spain’s global tourism expertise. The recent memorandum of understanding between the two countries in this field, he said, reflected Egypt’s commitment to revitalizing one of its key economic pillars.
Trade, Shared Goals, and Strategic Geography
Highlighting Spain as a key European trade partner, Madbouly voiced his intent to double the volume of trade between the two nations. He pointed to geographical proximity and direct shipping routes as natural advantages that could facilitate faster economic integration and trade growth.
He reiterated Egypt’s commitment to strengthening ties with Spain in various areas of mutual interest, particularly in light of their shared Mediterranean identity.
King Felipe VI: Egypt is Central to Regional Peace
King Felipe VI, for his part, expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome he received in Egypt, and underscored the importance of accelerating bilateral cooperation and solidifying the recently upgraded strategic partnership. He commended Egypt’s participation in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville between June 30 and July 3, and highlighted the shared commitment to economic progress and sustainable development.
The Spanish monarch acknowledged Egypt’s vital role in regional stability, especially amid escalating crises in the Middle East. He expressed particular concern over the humanitarian and political dimensions of the Palestinian issue and emphasized the importance of achieving a ceasefire and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
King Felipe also praised Egypt’s steadfast efforts in combating terrorism and maintaining security over the past several years, efforts that have enabled economic recovery and social stability. He reaffirmed Spain’s support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides essential services to Palestinian refugees.
The King emphasized the importance of fostering stronger ties between the private sectors in both countries to spur joint investments and stimulate job creation. He also highlighted opportunities for collaboration in areas such as healthcare, cultural heritage, and education, noting the Mediterranean heritage shared by both nations as a foundation for further engagement.
Shared Commitment to the Palestinian Cause
During the talks, Prime Minister Madbouly reiterated Egypt’s unambiguous stance on the Palestinian issue, stressing that Cairo has firmly rejected any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land. “Our position has been clear from day one: the only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the two-state solution,” Madbouly said. “Egypt supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
He commended Spain’s principled position on the matter, highlighting Madrid’s diplomatic engagement in support of peace and stability in the region.
Looking Ahead
As the meeting drew to a close, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian domains. Prime Minister Madbouly reiterated Egypt’s readiness to further elevate its partnership with Spain, pointing to the mutual benefits that a strong Egypt-Spain alliance can offer not just to both countries, but to the broader Mediterranean and international community.
King Felipe VI’s visit to Egypt marks a new chapter in bilateral relations, setting the stage for closer alignment on strategic, economic, and humanitarian goals in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.
