Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ms. Yomna El-Bahar, is participating in the 33rd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Joint Committee, held in Amman from August 10–12. The meetings aim to bolster bilateral cooperation across key sectors, with a special focus on tourism and cultural heritage.
El-Bahar began her participation by chairing the Service Committee Meeting, part of the preparatory technical sessions ahead of the joint committee’s plenary proceedings. The meeting included officials from both Egyptian and Jordanian ministries, who reviewed joint initiatives and development priorities in services and tourism.
Strengthening Tourism and Cultural Ties
In a bilateral meeting on the sidelines, Ms. El-Bahar met with Dr. Fadi Balawi, Secretary-General of Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, to discuss deepening cooperation in tourism and antiquities. The dialogue covered mechanisms for knowledge exchange in heritage conservation, digital archaeological documentation, museum curation techniques, and joint restoration practices.
The two sides also explored the potential to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize collaboration in the field of antiquities.
In the tourism sector, discussions focused on joint marketing and promotional campaigns, the development of shared tourism programs, and the organization of specialized training workshops in hospitality and tourism management.
Meeting with Jordan’s Tourism Minister
Ms. El-Bahar also met with Dr. Emad Hijazin, recently appointed Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. She conveyed the congratulations and well wishes of Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr. Sherif Fathy, for his new role, expressing Egypt’s hope for continued and strengthened cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting addressed opportunities to activate joint tourism frameworks, boost visitor flows between Egypt and Jordan, and exchange expertise on sustainable tourism practices.
Longstanding Strategic Cooperation
The Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Joint Committee represents one of the longest-standing platforms for bilateral coordination between the two countries. Last year, Egypt hosted the 32nd session of the committee in the New Administrative Capital, underscoring the depth of strategic ties between Cairo and Amman.
