CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has met his French counterpart Catherine Colonna for bilateral talks away from the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

Shoukry is keen for France to support efforts to bring stability to certain areas, particularly since the European country’s presidency of the UN Security Council coincides with Egypt’s interest in the current situations in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Sudan.

The two ministers discussed ways to advance cooperation in economic and investment fields, and reviewed their bilateral relations over recent years.

Shoukry also requested a high-level French presence at the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in July at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Macron affirmed his country’s commitment to support bilateral relations, while El-Sisi said he was keen for Egypt to strengthen its strategic partnership with France.