Hungary, Egypt to continue transport, military industry cooperation

Hungary and Egypt will continue transport cooperation and explore expanding military-industrial cooperation, László Palkovics, the minister of technology and industry, said after talks in Cairo on Monday.

Palkovics and Kamel al-Wazir, Egypt’s transport minister, agreed on the growing importance of railways and electrified rail infrastructure powered by solar panels, as well as the potential involvement of Hungarian businesses in related projects. Hungary may also deliver electric busses to Egypt, he added.

Hungary is participating in the delivery of 1,300 railway carriages to Egypt, and other opportunities may arise for Hungary in the north African country, Palkovics told MTI by phone.

Palkovics noted that tourism was a key source of income for Egypt, adding that both countries had an interest in Wizz Air launching new flights to Egypt, and he asked his Egyptian partner to eliminate administrative and financial obstacles to the Hungarian low-cost carrier’s expansion.

The minister also highlighted new areas for bilateral military-industrial cooperation. Hungary and Egypt will soon continue discussing those opportunities, as Egypt’s minister in charge of military production is scheduled to visit Hungary in the coming months, Palkovics said.

Besides the transport minister, Palkovics met Mohamed Ahmed Morsi, the minister in charge of military production, Mohamed Manar Anba, the civil aviation minister, and Abdelmonem Eltarras, chairman of the Arab Organization for Industrialisation.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Hungary in 2021, and he held talks with PM Orbán.