A six-member delegation from the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs (ECFA) visited India for the 2nd India WANA Bilateral Dialogue from 23-27 September 2024 hosted by India Foundation. The visit took place after the delegation of India Foundation visited Egypt in June 2023 to hold the 1st India-WANA Conference in Cairo, Egypt. The visiting Egyptian delegation comprised of Ambassador Mohamed Al-Orabi, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt & Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr Ezzat Saad, Director, Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kheireldin Abdellatif, Egypt’s Former Ambassador to India & Ambassador Dr Ali Al-Hefny, Egypt’s Former Ambassador to China.
On 23 September 2024, a welcome dinner for the delegation was hosted by the Egyptian Ambassador to India, H.E. Amb. Wael Mohamed Awad Hamed. The delegation also visited the historic city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh on 24 September 2024. A lunch-interaction for the delegation was hosted in Agra by Shri Danish Azad Ansari, Minister of State (Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj), Government of UP.
On 25 September 2024, India Foundation hosted the delegation for the inaugural session of the 2nd India-WANA Bilateral Dialogue at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The ECFA delegation was led by Amb Mohamed Al-Orabi and Shri MJ Akbar, Former Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, India led the Indian delegation. The session was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Academics, Scholars and eminent citizens.
The ECFA delegation also held a discussion on 26 September 2024 at the India Foundation office with various diplomats (serving and retired), scholars, and academics on various multilateral and bilateral issues and focusing on themes like Conflicts in Gaza: Indian and Egyptian Perspective, Unending Conflicts: Libya, Sudan and Yemen, opportunities for trade and investment etc. The delegation also called on Secretary (CPV & OIA) Mr Arun K. Chatterjee & JS WANA Dr M. Suresh Kumar at the Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides appreciated the ongoing Track-II process between India and Egypt and acknowledged the role played by such visits to both countries and the efforts of think tanks like India Foundation in strengthening the relationship between India and Egypt. The delegation also visited other think tanks like VIF (Vivekananda International Foundation).
