Egyptian envoy underscores excellent ties

Egyptian Ambassador Afifi Al Sayid Ahmed Abdulwahab underlined the excellent ties binding Egypt and Saudi Arabia Wednesday night.
“The diplomatic relationship between the two countries goes back a long time. It has been exceptional,” said the envoy, who assumed his post in the Saudi capital last September.
Abdulwahab made the statement in a press briefing after he inaugurated the seven-day Egyptian Festival at the Lulu Hypermart in Murabba district. On arrival, the ambassador was welcomed by top management and staff headed by Shehim Mohammed Unni, regional director.
“In fact, Saudi Arabia has also helped us in various ways in the past and on behalf of my government, I am thankful for that,” he said.
Abdulwahab added that the 1.8 million Egyptians working and living with their families in the Kingdom in peace and in relative prosperity reflects the “kind of friendly relationship between the two brotherly countries.”
He added that thousands of Egyptians also come to the Kingdom annually to perform Haj and Umrah. Abdulwahab added that hundreds of thousands of Saudis had also been residing in Egypt.
“The number of Saudi nationals living in Egypt is now estimated at between 400,000 and 500,000. Many of them have even bought properties in various parts of the country,” he said.
He also noted that thousands of Saudis also visit Egypt annually for tourism.
The ambassador also said that one of his plans to further strengthen bilateral ties is to increase the “trade volume between the two countries which has reached several billions of dollars."
“I will ask the consulate office in Jeddah to contact local businessmen for further business collaboration. I hope that the trade volume will be doubled in five years,” he said.
He expressed appreciation for the initiative of Lulu Hypermarket in holding an Egyptian Festival which will go a long way in boosting bilateral trade.
“It's a fact that Lulu Hypermarket is making a great contribution in improving bilateral trade by importing Egyptian products and making them available in the local market,” he said. He added that a Lulu outlet had also been established in Nasser City in Cairo.
“It's also a fact that numerous customers of various nationalities come to the hypermarket every day and shop,” he said.
Abdulwahab toured the areas in the hypermarket where Egyptian products could be found.
Talking on the occasion, Shehim Mohammed Unni, Lulu's regional director, said the main focus of the festival is to “portray Lulu Hypermarkets as a unique shopping experience for its customers.”
“This event will prove the extent to which Lulu goes to serve its customers whatever their nationalities. This will also highlight the exclusive range of items Lulu offers which are not available anywhere else in the Kingdom,” he said.