Egypt, Qatar Forge Pacts

Qatar and Egypt signed several memoranda of understanding Wednesday, official media said, as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi makes his first visit to the Gulf country since the nations healed a diplomatic rift.

DOHA —

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi "witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Qatar Investment Authority and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt for investment and development", the emir's office said on its official website.

They also signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" (MoU) on "cooperation in the field of ports" and another on "cooperation in the field of social affairs", the website added.

Qatari and Egyptian ministers and other officials also attended the signing ceremony, the office said.

al-Sisi and the emir discussed ways of strengthening relations between the two countries, particularly in the fields of investment, transport and social affairs, the emir's office said.

al-Sisi also met with business representatives on Wednesday, the official news agency QNA said.

Cairo joined Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in cutting ties with Qatar in June 2017, alleging it backed radical Islamist groups and was too close to Riyadh's rival Iran -- allegations Doha denied.

They lifted their blockade in January 2021.

The emir met al-Sisi at the airport on Tuesday, for a visit QNA has said marked "a new era in relations".

The emir visited Cairo in June, when Qatari investments in cash-strapped Egypt were on the agenda, as well as cooperation in the energy and agriculture sectors.

In late March, Cairo said Qatar planned to invest $5 billion in Egypt, while hydrocarbon giant Qatar Energy announced an agreement with US major ExxonMobil to acquire a 40-percent stake in a gas exploration block off Egypt in the Mediterranean.