President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi embarked on a historic visit to Norway, where he was welcomed by King Harald V on Monday, 9 December. This marks the first visit by an Egyptian President to the Scandinavian country since diplomatic relations between Egypt and Norway were established in 1936.
This is part of the president’s European tour, which started this week with a visit to Denmark. He is also set to visit Ireland.
During the trip to Norway, King Harald V of Norway welcomed President El-Sisi, acknowledging Egypt’s key role in both Africa and the Middle East. The King praised the positive momentum in the bilateral relations between their two countries in recent years. They also assessed the situation in the Middle East, placing special emphasis on Egypt’s efforts to restore stability in the region.
President Al-Sisi conveyed Egypt’s deep appreciation for its pivotal role in Africa and the Middle East. He also extended an invitation to King Harald V to visit Egypt for the grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The President also highlighted Egypt’s commitment to increasing its green energy production, especially green hydrogen, and expressed interest in collaborating with Norway in this field. Earlier this year, Egypt opened the door to USD 40 billion (EGP 1.2 trillion) in investments in green hydrogen and renewable technologies by signing seven memoranda of understanding with international developers.
Trade between Egypt and Norway reached USD 217 million (EGP 6.72 billion) in the first ten months of 2024, marking an increase from USD 204 million (EGP 6.12 billion) in the same period of 2023, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). Egyptian exports to Norway also saw a rise, reaching USD 15 million (EGP 466.5 million), up from USD 11 million (EGP 340 million) during the same period last year.
