Mr Assem Hanafi, Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, said the embassy would not deliberately deny any applicant visa, adding that measures are in place to ease the process.
In an interview with NAN in Abuja on Monday, the envoy said that Nigerians would continue to receive privilege visa process.
‘’The long years of relations between Nigeria and Egypt gives us an advantage. We have one of the strongest economies in the continent and similar cultural and religious system.
‘’The fact is that we do not have an immigration office here, but we are working on it right now. We have to send visa applications to Cairo and that stays for few days. In spite of that, urgent and medical cases are given priority.
“We have been doing business with Nigeria, which is even to the advantage of Nigeria. So, we will continue to initiate policies to ease trade, educational, medical as well as tourism sector,” he said.
On the recent visit of Egyptian parliamentarians to Nigeria, Hanafi said that a friendship committee would be established to foster more cordial relationship between the two countries.
He said that committee would foster a constant engagement of the parliaments to share ideas and boost cooperation among them.
“As a way of setting the agenda for the committee, led by Dr Ali Abdullahi, a return visit has been extended to both the senate and House of Representatives at their convenient time.
“Also, the members of the Egyptian parliaments held talks with the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila on various issues relating to economy, fighting terrorism, health as well as capacity building for civil servants and others,’’ he said.
Hanafi said that the parliamentary meeting was the first of its kind in Nigeria.
“The purpose of the visit was to consolidate the inter-parliamentary relations between Egypt and Nigeria. It’s the first high level visit of its kind in Nigeria and they were met by his Excellency Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President.
“Many bilateral issues were discussed. How to build on the external relations, political relations issues between Egypt and Nigeria, two big African countries and how to invest in the human capital of the two countries to raise the capacity of many Nigerians civil service and agriculture and health and so forth.
“So to expand the programmes on the capacity building that we are offering and also to see ways to seize the opportunities that the African continental Free trade was offering now to widen commercial links between both countries and of course to increase the investment in both countries,’’ he said.
