Intergovernmental organization hailed for deepening China-Egypt partnership

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is emerging as a multilateral platform capable of broadening the horizons of the China-Egypt partnership and strengthening cooperation between Asia and Africa, Egyptian and Chinese experts and diplomats said at a seminar held in Cairo last week.

"Egypt's engagement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization reflects an understanding of the importance of strengthening multilateral partnerships and expanding cooperation with Asian countries in ways that serve Egyptian interests and enhance the presence of developing countries in the international system," Magdy Amer, former deputy foreign minister of Egypt, and former ambassador of Egypt to China, said at the event marking the 25th anniversary of the organization's founding.

He said China plays a pivotal role in international relations and pays close attention to the concerns of developing countries. He noted that Cairo and Beijing maintain strong coordination and alignment in international forums and on pressing issues related to regional and international security and stability, an approach that is also reflected in their engagement with the SCO.

READ MORE: SCO highlights economic, trade cooperation in joint communique

He said that ties between Cairo and Beijing are deeply rooted in history, and encompass a wide range of fields, including cultural and intellectual dimensions that are reflected in the growing number of Egyptian students receiving scholarships to study the Chinese language.

The SCO, established 25 years ago, has developed into the world's largest regional cooperation organization with 10 member states. It also has two observer states and 15 dialogue partners, including Egypt.

Wang Peizhong, head of the Egypt China General Association, said the establishment of the SCO represented a response to transformations in the international system and the rise of multipolarity.

"Over the past 25 years, the organization has evolved into one of the prominent frameworks for multilateral regional cooperation, benefiting from its extensive geographical reach and substantial development potential," he noted.

He said that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's strategic vision, based on independent national decision-making and openness to multilateral cooperation, creates opportunities to bring Egypt's development priorities closer to the international cooperation agenda, while expanding cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Multilateral platform

Samar Ibrahim, lecturer of political science at May University in Cairo, explained that the SCO has evolved from a regional framework for coordination and confidence-building into a multilateral platform for expanding cooperation in security, development and political coordination.

She said the organization is founded on principles of mutual respect, equality, consultation and respect for the specific circumstances of its member states. It also provides a space for dialogue among countries with differing interests and priorities, making it a framework for coordination and cooperation in addressing shared challenges.

Ibrahim emphasized that Egypt's status as an SCO dialogue partner creates opportunities to expand cooperation with member states and diversify Egypt's economic and strategic partnerships, particularly in trade, investment, energy, food security, water resource management, transportation, logistics and education.

ALSO READ: SCO computing ties channel AI for local growth

Ahmed Salam, visiting professor at North China University of Technology in Beijing, highlighted the growing Chinese economic presence in Egypt and the increase in the number of Chinese companies operating in the country to approximately 4,000. This expansion, he said, reflects deeper economic integration and contributes to creating thousands of job opportunities.

Salam called for compiling a list of competitive Egyptian products to promote in the markets of SCO member states, with the aim of attracting investment, boosting bilateral trade, developing supply chains, and improving Egyptian products' access to Asian markets.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening academic cooperation between Egypt and the organization's member states to facilitate the exchange of expertise and open new avenues for scientific and development cooperation.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.