Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s deep appreciation for its bilateral relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as its keenness to enhance these relations, in light of the strong historical ties between the two nations.
Abdelatty, while addressing a joint press conference on Saturday 17/1/2026 with Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković, hailed keenness of the Bosnian side to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.
He also voiced optimism that this visit would yield fruitful results that would contribute to advancing bilateral cooperation in all fields.
“Egypt was one of the first countries to fully support Bosnia and Herzegovina following its independence in 1992,” Abdelatty said.
He added that this support has continued without interruption, whether through efforts to build the Bosnian state and strengthen its national institutions, or through Egypt’s active participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions, reflecting Egypt’s strong and unwavering commitment to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Abdelatty said that the visit is part of Egypt and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s mutual effort to advance bilateral cooperation and maintain regular consultation and communication between the two friendly countries.
He added that today’s meeting with the Bosnian foreign minister represents the culmination of joint efforts exerted over the past period to advance bilateral cooperation.
During the talks, both sides underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation in the political, economic, tourism and cultural fields.
This, he said, requires maintaining the momentum of bilateral visits at all levels and establishing and activating frameworks and mechanisms for bilateral cooperation, particularly the political consultation mechanism and the Joint Committee for Economic, Technical, and Scientific Cooperation.
He stressed the importance of convening these mechanisms at the earliest possible date to further promote relations between the two countries.
Abdelatty pointed out that the recent period has witnessed the exchange of several high-level visits between the two countries, most recently the visit of Egypt’s minister of tourism to Bosnia and Herzegovina, preceded by the visit of the Bosnian minister of civil affairs to Egypt, in addition to ongoing communication between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He said that economic, trade and tourism cooperation topped the agenda of today’s discussions, which were held in the presence of delegations from both countries.
The two sides highlighted the importance of increasing and doubling bilateral trade, promoting mutual investments, and strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector, noting that Egypt is a key destination for Bosnian tourists, while Bosnia and Herzegovina has become an important tourist destination for Egyptian visitors.
Abdelatty emphasized that Egypt and Bosnia and Herzegovina possess immense potential for collaboration, particularly within the tourism sector.
He highlighted Egypt’s vast tourism assets alongside Bosnia’s diverse destinations, noting that these synergies offer promising opportunities for mutual benefit and joint regional promotion.
The two ministers agreed to further enhance bilateral relations in several priority sectors, topped by manufacturing and energy.
During the meeting, two cooperation agreements were signed; the first establishes a framework for political consultations, while the second focuses on training Bosnian diplomats at the Egyptian Diplomatic Institute.
Abdelatty highlighted the existing memorandums of understanding that seek to revitalize youth and cultural exchanges while facilitating the migration of skilled Egyptian workers to Bosnia and Herzegovina to serve the developmental needs of both nations.
The meeting discussed security and defense cooperation, which both parties identified as vital to their national interests.
Abdelatty outlined a vision for tripartite cooperation in Africa, positioning Egypt as the primary gateway for Bosnia and the Western Balkans into the African continent.
He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina serves as a strategic entry point for Egyptian products and a hub for strengthening Egypt’s presence in the Western Balkans. This cooperation is particularly significant as Western Balkan nations begin EU accession negotiations, providing a bridge for Egypt—which already maintains a partnership agreement with the EU—to expand its political and economic reach in the region.
The meeting addressed regional and international developments, with Abdelatty stating that the Palestinian cause topped the agenda of the discussions.
Both sides shared similar views regarding the necessity of effective international action to halt Israeli violations in the West Bank, specifically condemning settlement expansion, settler violence, and the ongoing confiscation of Palestinian land.
The Foreign Minister reaffirmed that such policies constitute a flagrant violation of international law and undermine regional stability.
Abdelatty said that discussions with Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković focused heavily on the situation in the Gaza Strip.
The two sides reviewed recent American announcements regarding the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, specifically the establishment of a “Peace Council” and its associated committees.
Abdelatty highlighted the critical importance of an international stability force, noting the readiness of several friendly nations, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, to participate in such a mission to ensure full compliance with a ceasefire agreement.
The talks addressed the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire roadmap, emphasizing the necessity of a total Israeli withdrawal from the strip.
He stressed that the deployment of international forces and the commencement of early recovery and reconstruction efforts are vital steps forward.
The two top Egyptian and Bosnian diplomats reaffirmed commitment to the territorial integrity of the Palestinian territories, while voicing a categorical rejection of any plans to partition the enclave.
Concerning the conflict in Sudan, Abdelatty described the humanitarian situation there as catastrophic.
He outlined ongoing efforts to secure an immediate humanitarian truce that could serve as a foundation for a comprehensive, Sudanese-led political process.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s unwavering stance on the unity of Sudan and the preservation of its state institutions, firmly stating that Egypt does not accept any equivalence between official state bodies and non-state militias.
The meeting tackled the situations in Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, as well as the importance of maintaining the stability of the Red Sea maritime routes.
Meanwhile, Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s total rejection of the Israeli recognition of the self-declared “Somaliland,” affirming Egypt’s support for Somali sovereignty.
The two sides discussed developments in the Western Balkans as well as Egypt’s support for international frameworks aimed at establishing lasting peace in this region.
They also addressed the Ukrainian crisis, stressing the urgency of reaching a political settlement to safeguard global food and energy security.
For his part, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković affirmed that Egypt is a very important partner for his country, expressing hope for the continuation of cooperation between the two sides in various fields.
He stressed that Bosnia highly appreciates Egypt’s support during the war and the post-war reconstruction phase.
Konaković lauded the excellent bilateral relations, noting the diversity of meetings between the two sides at both bilateral encounters and multilateral conferences and forums.
He pointed out that the current visit marks his first trip to Cairo, although he has previously visited the cities of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh several times. He also expressed his admiration for the Grand Egyptian Museum, congratulating the Egyptian people on these cultural and historic investments that are admired worldwide.
The Bosnian Minister also praised Egypt’s support for the United Nations resolution on opposing genocide.
He also affirmed his support for any decision aiming at achieving peace in the Gaza Strip, noting that his country suffered from genocide 30 years ago in an area that was under United Nations protection.
Konaković voiced hope for the continuation of economic cooperation with Egypt, noting that a cooperation protocol was signed on Saturday between the Egyptian and Bosnian foreign ministries, along with a memorandum of understanding with the Institute for Diplomatic Studies. He said these steps will contribute to effective communication between the two ministries.
He noted that the talks addressed ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of economy, military industries, and tourism, expressing hope for boosting tourism between the two countries.
He pointed out that Egypt serves as a gateway to the African continent, while Bosnia and Herzegovina can be considered an entry point to the European Union. He noted that Egypt is one of the most important summer tourist destinations for the Bosnian people, stressing that the Middle East region holds special importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Minister said that Bosnia closely follows developments in the region, adding that while the events surrounding Egypt have an impact on its economy, his country appreciates the diplomatic and investment activities undertaken by the Egyptian state, particularly in infrastructure development.
He also said that the discussions covered the situation in the Gaza Strip, including the killing of children and attacks on mosques and churches, noting that Bosnia experienced similar events 30 years ago, making the situation particularly painful.
Konaković added that although peace remains weak and fragile, progress is being made on the right track and Bosnia supports moving to the second phase, stressing the need for collective efforts to rebuild Palestine, especially the Gaza Strip.
He affirmed his country’s keenness to maintain communication and strengthen serious economic relations with Egypt, MENA writes.
