Egypt, Serbia discuss boosting tourism, cultural ties, and direct flights during Minister Fathy's visit to Belgrade.
Egypt’s Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy meets Serbian PM Duro Macut in Belgrade to expand bilateral cooperation.
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, kicked off his official visit to the Serbian capital with a high-level meeting with Serbia’s Prime Minister Duro Macut. The talks centered on bolstering cooperation between the two nations across tourism, culture, and economic sectors.
The meeting was attended by Egypt’s Ambassador to Serbia, Basel Salah, the Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, and Deputy Ambassador Ibrahim Hamza.
Serbia’s Prime Minister welcomed the Egyptian delegation, hailing the robust ties between the two countries. He stressed his country’s desire to deepen relations in line with the growing rapport between the leaderships of both nations.
Minister Fathy conveyed greetings from Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening cooperation, citing the positive momentum generated by regular high-level visits, particularly between Presidents Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Aleksandar Vučić.
Describing Serbia as a “strategic partner,” Fathy underscored the need to advance economic, cultural, and tourism ties. He also noted the importance of Egypt’s full readiness to engage with Serbia across all sectors in line with presidential directives.
The talks covered several cooperation points, including upcoming meetings with Serbia’s ministers of tourism, youth, and culture. The aim is to increase cultural exchange, organize joint workshops, and promote tourism between both nations.
Serbia’s Prime Minister expressed strong appreciation for the evolving relationship and noted that Egypt is a key partner for Serbia on the African continent. He also voiced support for expanding direct flights between the two countries to stimulate tourism.
The Serbian official highlighted the growing interest of Serbian tourists in Egyptian destinations beyond the Red Sea, such as Marsa Matrouh and New Alamein. He also praised Alexandria’s tourism potential and cultural assets, including the famed Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Discussions also explored the possibility of hosting a temporary exhibition in Belgrade featuring ancient Egyptian artifacts and historic manuscripts linked to Saint Sava, currently preserved at Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt.
The meeting concluded with an agreement on the importance of expanding flight routes between Belgrade and Egyptian cities like Cairo and Alexandria, with Fathy noting the vital role of the modern Sphinx Airport near key attractions like the Grand Egyptian Museum.
