Egypt FM Sameh Shoukri

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry Thursday contacted some European Foreign Ministers to discuss Egypt's request to become a country of operations with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Spokesman for Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zaid said.

Over the phone calls, the Egyptian top diplomat sought to gain German, Dutch and Italian support in the slated vote that will be held by the EBRD financial and operation policies' committee on Thursday, he added.

Shoukry and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed ways of boosting bilateral ties in all fields and the outcome of the recent visit paid by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to Germany, Abu Zaid asserted.

Also, Egypt's top diplomat and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni touched on the situation in Libya and the necessity of making good use of the current opportunity to reach a political agreement that help end split among Libyan factions and form a national unity government, according to Abu Zaid.