13.07.2021.
Meeting between ministers Stefanović and Zaki
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, who is leading the Serbian delegation on a three-day official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, met today in Cairo with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production, Lieutenant General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki. After the talks, the ministers signed a Memorandum of Cooperation which creates conditions for the improvement and development of relations in the field of defence between the two countries. Minister Stefanović was welcomed today with full military and state honours and the meeting and conversation between the delegations was attended by leading figures in the Egyptian Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces.
After signing the Memorandum, Minister Stefanović expressed satisfaction at meeting with his Egyptian counterpart.– I am glad I had the opportunity today to discuss important topics with the Minister of Defence of Egypt, General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki, such as the cooperation between our two countries, primarily between the two ministries of defence. Cooperation between the ministries of defence in the field of military industry and collaboration between factory networks that are participating in the joint Military Committee taking place in Egypt, will improve our companies’ potential to cooperate with the Egyptian ones, but also offer our partners from this big country the opportunities that the Serbian defence industry offers today. We have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation which will provide a sound legal framework for improving joint work and this will include training assistance in all those areas that the two countries considered necessary, but also a closer cooperation in the field of multinational missions - Minister Stefanović said.
He pointed out that there was a mutual desire to cooperate in the field of special units training.- We want our units to be able to learn from the best Egyptian soldiers and to provide their soldiers with an opportunity to receive education at our Military Academy and other military schools - Stefanović pointed out.
The Minister emphasized that, from the standpoint of the Republic of Serbia, cooperation with Egypt was extremely important.
– In the field of defence, we want to try to get back on track the former traditional cooperation and what our companies used to do and to ensure a stronger presence of Serbian companies in this large market, but we also want to show, through joint equipment projects and modern weapons development, that this type of cooperation has excellent prospects - the Serbian Minister of Defence said.Minister Stefanović thanked Minister Zaki and all his associates for the warm reception and the opportunity for the Serbian delegation to get acquainted with Egypt’s achievements and to improve the capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces through concrete cooperation.
During the talks, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production, Lieutenant General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki, briefed Minister Stefanović on the security situation in the region and expressed Egypt’s readiness to expand defence cooperation with Serbia. Minister Zaki paid special attention to considering the possibilities for improving the cooperation between the two armed forces, the military-industrial sector and military educational institutions.
Besides Minister Stefanović, the meeting was attended by State Secretary Branko Živanović, Assistant Minister for Material Resources Nenad Miloradović, PhD, Head of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Department of the SAF General Staff, Brigadier General Miroljub Čupić and Deputy Head of the Military Health Department, Colonel Dr Radivoje Andjelković.