Egypt, UAE to set up parliamentary friendship society

ABU DHABI - 26 February 2018: Egypt and the UAE signed on Monday a memo of understanding to set up a parliamentary friendship society to boost friendly relations between the two countries.

The memo, signed by House of Representatives Speaker Ali Abdel Aal and head of UAE Federal National Council Amal Al Qubaisi, aims at exchanging viewpoints in the domain of parliamentary diplomacy.

The society meetings will be held alternately between the two parliaments.

Abdel Aal reiterated Egypt's commitment to the security of the UAE, saying it is an integral part of Egypt's national security.

He said the Egyptian-UAE relations are a model to follow suit in inter-Arab relations, thanking the UAE for standing by Egypt and for backing development efforts in the country.

After the signing ceremony, the two sides held a press conference on the topics they raised during their talks.

Both sides asserted the importance of maintaining security and stability in the Red Sea for the sake of Egypt, especially with regard to the security condition at Bab el-Mandeb Strait, saying that the riparian countries shoulder joint responsibility for securing the strait with the support of the influential states in the region, according to a statement released by the Egyptian parliament.

Parliament Speaker also visited Monday Hedayah international centre of excellence for countering violent extremism in the UAE's Abu Dhabi.