President Sisi, Lavrov discuss cooperation on Russian Industrial Zone, Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant

CAIRO – 20 December 2025: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, in the presence of Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs. 

The official spokesperson for the Presidency stated that President El-Sisi opened the meeting by asking Mr. Lavrov to convey his greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing appreciation for the steadily advancing strategic relations between Egypt and Russia across political, economic, and trade spheres. 

The President stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly regarding the establishment of the Russian Industrial Zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project, in addition to other strategic areas of cooperation.

For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister conveyed President Putin’s greetings and appreciation to President El-Sisi, affirming Russia’s keenness to work closely with Egypt to further elevate strategic relations. He emphasized the importance of building on the understandings reached during President El-Sisi’s visit to Russia in May 2015.

According to Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the official spokesperson, President El-Sisi commended Egypt’s hosting of the second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, underscoring its importance in exploring ways to deepen cooperation between African countries and the Russian Federation. This includes expanding economic and developmental partnerships to serve mutual interests, enhance peace and stability across the African continent, and advance the implementation of Agenda 2063.

In turn, Mr. Lavrov expressed appreciation for Egypt’s role in hosting the conference and noted Russia’s anticipation of convening the third ministerial conference in 2026. He also stated that Russia looks forward to hosting a Russia–Arab States Summit next year.

The spokesperson added that the meeting addressed a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern, including developments in the Gaza Strip, Sudan, and Libya. Both sides emphasized the necessity of ending the war in Gaza, consolidating the ceasefire, preventing regional escalation, and safeguarding the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and well-being of all states. 

In this context, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s role in promoting stability in the Middle East, commending the close political coordination between the two countries and stressing the importance of further intensifying consultations.

The meeting also touched on developments related to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and ongoing efforts to resolve it. President El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s support for all initiatives aimed at reaching a political settlement, emphasizing Egypt’s readiness to provide the necessary support to international efforts in this regard.

The Russian delegation included Mr. Sergey Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Georgy Borisenko, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Cairo; Mr. Alexander Kinshchak, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Mikhail Dzherginia, Director of the same department.