CAIRO, May 27 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said Egyptian companies have extensive expertise, huge workforce, and massive technical capabilities, which can benefit the Mauritanian side in their development projects.

Abdelatty made the remarks while participating in the opening ceremony of the first edition of the Egyptian-Mauritanian Economic Forum, held in Nouakchott on Tuesday under the theme of "Promoting trade and investment cooperation between both countries."

Abdelatty expressed hope that the forum will serve as a good starting point for bolstering economic cooperation, increasing the volume of bilateral trade exchange, and enhancing economic partnership and cooperation between the business communities in both countries.

He also hoped that the forum will encourage Egyptian companies to enter the Mauritanian market and contribute to development activities in Mauritania to serve mutual interest, asserting the importance of the forum for strengthening economic relations between the two countries.

Abdelatty also emphasized the importance of convening the forum annually, in tandem with the Egyptian-Mauritanian joint committee, the 2nd session of which was also held in Nouakchott on Tuesday for the first time since 2006.

Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Marzouk, Minister of Petroleum and Energy Mohamed Ould Khaled, and Minister of Trade and Tourism Zainab bint Ahmednah attended the forum's opening session, along with a great host of senior officials from the bodies concerned in both countries. (MENA)

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