Egypt is considered to be one of the countries that enjoy an inveterate relationship with Afghanistan that cannot be adversely affected. The two countries are major Islamic countries, both are located in the Middle East, and have numerous common interests. The modern global system has been pushing nation-states to establish diplomatic relations and conglomerations based on mutual interests and benefits. Egyptian and Afghan diplomats have realized this crucial aspect 90 years ago, and they went on establishing entrenched friendship between the two countries since then.

In the last century, King Amanullah khan embarked on a journey from Kabul to Europe for six months. At the time, King Fuad I of Egypt learned about this journey and his chief of staff; Ahmad Shafiq Pasha wrote the following in his memoirs “Egypt’s Political conditions”:

“… The news of the Afghan King’s embarkation to Europe through Egypt reached the Egyptian government, and the government of Egypt seized this opportunity and invited the [Afghan] King, and the King of Afghanistan accepted the invitation gratefully”.

This cordial visit that the Afghan King has undertaken to Egypt led to the commencement of bilateral diplomatic relationship between the two countries, and by the end of 2018 this friendship has celebrated its 90^th anniversary.

There are numerous Afghan characters and specialized calibers, like the martyred former Afghan President Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani, and former Afghan President SibghatullahMojaddedi, and former Afghan Prime Minister Musa Shafiq, who all have graduated from Al-Azhar University. And in Al-Azhar, one of the most prominent and prestigious universities in the world, the number of Afghan students studying there tremendously surpass any other country. 

Now with the appointment of Hany Salah as Egypt’s ambassador to Afghanistan, and his counterpart Muhammad Muhiq, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Egypt, we aspire to deepen this valuable relationship and to resuscitate deserted sides of it.

In addition to cultural and educational relations, there are dimensions that we can work on consolidating between the two countries which would open up a new horizon for this special relation, especially in trade and economic Relations, where the focus is to be directed towards common investments, and increasing the size of exports and imports between the two countries.

We do look forward to the continuation of this solid relationship between Egypt and Afghanistan in the coming future.

From the Egypt Embassy in Kabul

View expressed in this article are of the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Pajhwok’s editorial policy.

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