馃嚜馃嚞EgyptNorth Africa
Egypt's St. Catherine Protectorate: A high-altitude sanctuary of biodiversity and ancient heritage
via Egypt Today1 min read
The St. Catherine Protectorate, located at Egypt's highest point with granite peaks reaching 2,641 meters, spans 4,412 square kilometers and is a biological island. It hosts nearly a third of Egypt鈥檚 unique plant species and the world鈥檚 smallest butterfly. The Monastery of Saint Catherine, the oldest functioning Christian monastery globally, is at its center. In 2002, UNESCO declared 15 percent of the protectorate a World Cultural Heritage site. The Jebeliya Bedouin, descendants of Macedonians, have protected this holy site since the sixth century. The area offers trekking through Wady El-Arbaein and Wady Itlah. The "Great Transfiguration" project, initiated in 2021, aims to boost eco-tourism with new facilities like an international airport and mountain hotels.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah of Guinea met with Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed El-Halawany to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between their countries. The Guinean Prime Minister expressed appreciation for Egypt, referencing the historic relationship between the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser and former Guinean President Ahmed S茅kou Tour茅. He highlighted Egypt's role in African security and stability under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and praised efforts to enhance Egyptian-Guinean ties, especially during Guinea's development and reconstruction phase. Ambassador El-Halawany thanked the Prime Minister for the support from Guinean state institutions, noting the collaboration aligns with Guinea's national transformation and reflects mutual trust and shared views on regional and international issues. He emphasized the long-standing cooperation between Egypt and Guinea in political, economic, and cultural spheres, hoping for continued coordination to achieve common goals.
Egypt鈥檚 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, met with Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Manila. The ministers discussed strengthening bilateral relations across political, economic, trade, and investment sectors. Minister Abdelatty highlighted the importance of following up on his March visit to Pakistan and anticipated the upcoming fourth session of the Joint Ministerial Committee and the tenth session of ministerial-level political consultations to boost ties. He also proposed enhancing economic and investment cooperation through business missions, connecting Pakistani investors with opportunities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and establishing the Egyptian-Pakistani Business Council. On regional matters, Abdelatty appreciated Pakistan鈥檚 coordination in reaching the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, emphasizing adherence to it for regional security and stability. He also noted the importance of building on the results of the four-party regional meeting Cairo hosted in June 2026 to advance negotiations.
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