The Ministry of Transport of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Ministry of Shipping of the Republic of Cyprus held the first meeting of the Joint Maritime Committee (JMC) in Limassol, an important step towards strengthening maritime cooperation between the two countries and implementing the maritime transport agreement signed in 2006. The meeting was chaired on the Cypriot side by Dr. Stelios Himonas, Permanent Secretary of the Cypriot Ministry of Shipping, and on the Egyptian side by Rear Admiral Dr. /Nihad Shahin, Deputy Minister of Transport for Maritime Transport. In his opening remarks, Rear Admiral Dr./ Nihad Shahin conveyed the greetings of Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, and his sincere wishes for fruitful and constructive meetings between the two sides. He emphasized the Egyptian government's keen interest in strengthening cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus in the fields of maritime transport and ports, serving common interests and contributing to advancing regional development. The Egyptian side, in addition to the head of the delegation, included representatives from the Egyptian Embassy in Cyprus, the Alexandria Port Authority, the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety, and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport. The meeting was also attended virtually by key stakeholders in the Egyptian maritime transport system, most notably the maritime transport and logistics sector and the Suez Canal Economic Zone, emphasizing the importance of coordination and integration between various state institutions in this vital field. The Joint Maritime Committee is a permanent platform for dialogue and cooperation on various issues of common interest, contributing to enhancing joint action, exchanging expertise, and supporting the sustainable development of bilateral relations in the maritime field. The meeting discussed ways to activate cooperation within the framework of the 2006 Maritime Transport Agreement and examined a number of topics, most notably cooperation within the framework of the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding (MED MoU), exchanging expertise in the fields of maritime education and training, coordination within international maritime organizations, and exploring mechanisms for developing cooperation between Egyptian and Cypriot ports. The two sides concluded the meeting by emphasizing the importance of transforming this dialogue into actual cooperation and joint projects that enhance maritime integration between the two countries. The next meeting of the committee will be held in the Arab Republic of Egypt next year to follow up on what was agreed upon. During the visit, the Egyptian delegation toured the port of Limassol at the invitation of the Cyprus Ports Authority, where they were briefed on the port's activities, infrastructure development projects, digitization, and green transformation. The two sides also discussed future cooperation opportunities between Egyptian and Cypriot ports
