Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi started his Asian tour with a state visit to South Korea, where he will hold talks with President Lee Jae-myung and participate in a roundtable with major Korean companies. The visit, which lasts three days, is at Lee's invitation and aims to enhance cooperation between the two nations. According to South Korean presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, the leaders will discuss economic cooperation, trade, investment, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.
The Asian tour will also include state visits to Malaysia and Indonesia, presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy said. During his stay in Seoul, Al-Sisi and Lee will explore ways to develop Korea-Egypt ties into a strategic partnership, strengthening cooperation with Africa and the Middle East. This trip serves as an opportunity for Egypt to leverage its position as a full BRICS member and a gateway to African and Middle Eastern markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Al-Sisi's visit to Seoul reciprocates a four-and-a-half-hour Cairo summit held on November 20, 2025, where Lee and Al-Sisi signed three agreements covering education, culture, and digital government. During that summit, Seoul launched a new Middle East initiative called SHINE and pledged $10m to the Egyptian Red Crescent for Gaza refugees. Egypt pitched for Korean investment in various sectors, including information technology, artificial intelligence, and automotive manufacturing.
Defence cooperation is also a significant aspect of the bilateral relationship, with a $1.7bn contract signed in 2022 for K9 self-propelled howitzers. Leaders previously discussed widening defence cooperation beyond K9 co-production into aircraft and ground weapons systems. Trade figures between Egypt and South Korea vary, with the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) recording $995.3m in bilateral trade from January to September 2025.
Following his visit to Seoul, Al-Sisi will make a state visit to Malaysia, building on relations that marked their 65th anniversary in 2024. A key reset occurred during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's official visit to Cairo in November 2024, where both sides agreed to work towards a strategic partnership. Anwar sought Al-Sisi's support for Malaysia's bid for full BRICS membership, and the leaders met again at the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi in September.
Al-Sisi's final stop is Indonesia, a relationship with deep historical roots, as Egypt was the first country to recognise Indonesia's independence in 1947. Momentum has accelerated under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who visited Cairo twice recently. The two nations upgraded ties to a strategic partnership covering manufacturing, trade, ICT, and defence training on April 12, 2025. The Gaza dimension provides the Jakarta leg with significant geopolitical weight.
Trade with Indonesia reached $2.38bn in 2025, making Egypt Indonesia's top trade partner in North Africa. However, Indonesia ran a $1.50bn surplus. A trade deal is currently on the table, with Egypt signalling readiness for parallel negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement and a broader Free Trade Agreement. This tour aims to strengthen economic ties and partnerships between Egypt and its Asian counterparts.
Key points
- Al-Sisi's Asian tour aims to enhance economic cooperation and strategic partnerships with South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
- The tour serves as an opportunity for Egypt to leverage its position as a full BRICS member and a gateway to African and Middle Eastern markets.
- Egypt and its Asian partners are exploring ways to widen defence cooperation, including aircraft and ground weapons systems.
