I delivered two letters from President Jokowi to the Egyptian president."
Cairo (ANTARA News) - The Special Envoy of the Indonesian President to the Middle East and North African Region Alwi Shihab delivered two letters from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al Sisi.

"I delivered two letters from President Jokowi to the Egyptian president," Shihab told Antara here on Wednesday.

He is on a three-day trip to Egypt to represent President Jokowi at the opening ceremony of the New Suez Canal on Thursday, August 6.

According to the envoy, Jokowi wrote the first letter to President Al Sisi to apologize for his absence at the ceremony.

In his letter, Jokowi affirmed he had appointed Shihab as his envoy to attend the opening ceremony of the New Suez Canal on his behalf.

The second letter is an official invitation from Jokowi to President Al Sisi to visit Indonesia.

Shihab further noted that he will hold a meeting with local entrepreneurs and state officers to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the economic sector.

"Instead of attending the opening ceremony of the New Suez Canal, I will meet several officers and discuss economic cooperation between Indonesia and Egypt," he stated.

He also plans to meet with Indonesian students in Egypt and visit some mosques, such as Al Azhar Mosque and Sayyidina Al Husein Mosque.

Last March, Egyptian President Al Sisi had invited Shihab for breakfast at the state palace.
(Uu.B019/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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