"We manage to overcome all the difficulties associated with sanctions"

Russia and Egypt are managing to overcome difficulties due to energy sanctions during the construction of the El Dabaa NPP, Russian Ambassador to the Arab Republic Georgy Borisenko told Izvestia. In particular, equipment delivery and installation have already begun. Creation of the Russian industrial zone in Egypt is also at the final stage. It will allow to supply products not only to Egypt, but also to other countries, the ambassador specified. This year Moscow also expects intensive contacts with Cairo through the Foreign Ministers. About mutual settlements in national currencies, cooperation in space and tourism - in an exclusive interview with Georgy Borisenko "Izvestia".

"We hope that it will be possible to find settlement mechanisms that will suit all BRICS members"

- Your professional path has long been associated with the North American direction, but in 2020 you were appointed Russian ambassador to Egypt. How did this transition go for you and what challenges or peculiarities did you face in changing your diplomatic focus?

- My professional biography started in Europe in the 1990s, then it was the United States, and indeed in 2020 I arrived in Egypt as ambassador. Of course, it was a certain challenge, as I had not worked in the Middle East before. The mentality of the people in the Arab countries is partly different, but on the whole they are good-natured, friendly and well related to Russia. Therefore, there were no serious challenges. On the contrary, after working in the American direction, where our relations were not in the best condition already in the 2010s, staying in Egypt gives a lot of pleasure, because we really manage to make progress in our relations and strengthen Russian-Egyptian cooperation.

- Russia and Egypt have indeed been cooperating for a long time, including through the banking institutions of the two countries. BRICS, of which Egypt became a full member on January 1, 2024, offers more opportunities in this direction. How is the work in the field of mutual settlements in national currencies and integration of the Russian payment card "Mir" progressing?

- Egypt is actively looking for opportunities to use alternative currencies in mutual settlements. Representatives of the financial sector, the relevant minister and the head of the Central Bank of Egypt also visited a meeting in Moscow with their BRICS colleagues in October and discussed such opportunities.

As for the Mir card, this issue is still being worked out, as our Egyptian friends have certain problems and concerns due to the fact that they are actively integrated into the global, including Western, financial system. Therefore, unfortunately, things are not moving as fast as we would like. Nevertheless, in the context of BRICS, we hope that it will be possible to find settlement mechanisms that will suit all members of the association.

"The Russian industrial zone is a mutually beneficial project"

- The development of the Russian industrial zone in Egypt on the coast of the Suez Canal also offers opportunities on the trade and economic track. For this purpose, $9.5 billion from the federal budget will be allocated until 2026. Is there any progress in the realization of the project?

- Now Egypt is finalizing the ratification of the protocol to the original agreement on the creation of the Russian industrial zone. Once this protocol is ratified in Egypt (ratification is not required in Russia), concrete work will begin to bring this project to life. Egypt, for its part, is allocating two land plots on which the buildings of future enterprises can be built. There is still a lot of organizational work to be done, which will require efforts both from the Russian side - the Ministry of Industry and Trade, VEB RF Development Corporation and other organizations, and from Egyptian friends.

The Russian industrial zone is a mutually beneficial project. Our private companies will be able to produce their goods in Egypt and export them from here to other countries. Egyptians will get new technologies and a lot of jobs, which is very important for the republic, which is actively trying to develop its own economy and increase exports. The number of jobs will depend on the number of Russian companies that decide to establish their own production facilities there. So far, the most preliminary hints are that our business can invest up to $7 billion in the Russian industrial zone.

"The construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant is strictly on schedule"

- There is another very promising project - the construction of the El Dabaa NPP in Egypt. Can you tell me, please, whether the EU and US anti-Russian sanctions are currently affecting its realization?

- The construction of El Dabaa NPP, the first nuclear power plant in Egypt, is proceeding strictly according to the schedule approved in 2020 at the meeting between Alexei Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Now all four future power units are already under construction. Moreover, the equipment to be installed at the plant is being actively manufactured in Russia - its delivery to the construction site and installation have already begun. At the moment, El Dabaa - is the largest nuclear construction site in the world, employing many Russian builders and other specialists and even more Egyptian specialists. To some extent, Western sanctions are having a negative impact on the construction, including sanctions against Rosatom and its affiliated companies, which are also involved in the construction.

However, we manage to overcome all these difficulties related to sanctions. Egyptian friends are interested in joining the club of countries that have nuclear power and very much expect that by spring 2030, according to the schedule, the plant will be fully operational.

- Egypt is actively exploring not only nuclear power, but also outer space. In particular, the leadership has set an ambitious task to develop this program. How is Russian-Egyptian cooperation in this area, including the production and launch of spacecraft, developing?

- Russia and Egypt have certain achievements in the field of space exploration. In particular, one of the devices assembled by Egyptian specialists was sent to the International Space Station. There is cooperation in other areas between the Egyptian Space Agency and Roscosmos. Of course, it is still possible to increase and deepen this cooperation, as now our Egyptian friends are intensively cooperating with Chinese partners in this field, including launching satellites. But our Egyptian friends also have Russian satellites, and they ensure, in particular, their security.

"The flow of Russian tourists is growing

- I would like to touch upon the always relevant topic of tourism, as Egypt remains a popular destination for Russians. What is the tourist flow from our country to the republic by the end of 2024?

- Last year, according to preliminary calculations, Egypt was visited by about 1.6 million Russian tourists. This is slightly more than a year earlier, although, of course, it is still far short of the level of 2014, when 3.3 million of our compatriots visited Egypt. Unfortunately, after the terrorist attack in 2015, when a Russian plane flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg exploded, direct flights between Russian cities and Egyptian resorts were suspended for six years.

However, since 2021 they have resumed. And since then, the flow of Russian tourists has been growing. Our citizens actively fly primarily to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, but they also visit cultural and historical sights in the interior of Egypt, in particular in Cairo and Luxor.

- You mentioned popular tourist destinations in Egypt, such as Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. Are new routes for Russian tourists being discussed?

- Of course, there are interesting points on the Red Sea coast as well, like Marsa El Alam, which is even further south than Hurghada. In addition, our Egyptian partners are now actively developing their Mediterranean coast, in particular the Mersa-Matruh area, which is west of Alexandria. Therefore, there are still a lot of opportunities for cooperation both in the field of beach recreation and visiting numerous sights in Egypt - these are places belonging not only to different cultures, but to different civilizations. Ancient Egypt and the Greco-Roman civilization, the Coptic, that is, the early Christian civilization, the Arab civilization - this is certainly a very interesting country for Russian tourists.

- Are conditions being discussed that will simplify tourism for Russians traveling to Egypt?

- Now tourism to Egypt already implies quite comfortable conditions, as there is no need to obtain visas in advance - it can be done upon arrival at the airport. Moreover, in Sharm el-Sheikh, which is located on the Sinai Peninsula, there is a special system for Sinai, where you do not need to pay for a visa at all, while in other airports you need to pay $25 per person. Therefore, the conditions for Russian tourists are already very favorable. Of course, the Egyptian authorities are interested in increasing the inflow of foreign tourists, as the income from tourism is one of the key articles for the whole country. Therefore, we continue to work on easing the conditions.

"Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been invited to attend the Great Victory Day celebrations"

- Are there any discussions about visits of Russian officials to Egypt this year or, conversely, visits of Egyptian high-ranking officials to Russia?

- Russia and Egypt have quite an intensive political dialog. In particular, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was at the BRICS summit in Kazan. Prior to that, he came to the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023 and has made numerous bilateral visits. Our President Vladimir Putin has also visited Egypt on a number of occasions. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian ministers and officials are frequent guests here.

So far, no specific schedule of contacts has been approved for 2025, but Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been invited to the celebration of the Great Victory Day in Moscow on May 9. In addition, of course, we expect further intensive contacts through the Foreign Ministers, who regularly meet on the territory of their countries, on other international platforms and communicate by phone. There is an intensive inter-Ministerial dialog, consultations between deputy ministers and at other levels. In addition, there is an intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation. In 2025, its next, 15th, meeting will be held. It is to be held in Russia, but specific dates have not yet been agreed upon. We hope that it will give a new impetus to our cooperation in the economic sphere.