Egypt*

Visa regime

Nationals of the Arab Republic of Egypt are required to obtain a visa to enter Montenegro.

Visas may be obtained from diplomatic and consular posts of Montenegro. If you are unable to reach a diplomatic or consular post of Montenegro, you may apply for a visa at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Arab Republic Egypt.

NOTE: Nationals of the Arab Republic of Egypt may, from May 1 to October 31, 2024, enter and stay in Montenegro up to 30 days, with a valid travel document, without a visa, as an organized tourist group that enters, stays and leaves the territory of Montenegro together by a direct charter flight, provided that they have proof of the paid tourist arrangement, an invitation letter from the Travel Agency from Montenegro that organizes the trip and proof of a guaranteed return to the country of origin.

Contact: the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Cairo, the Arab Republic of Egypt
Address: 33, Al Mansour Mohamed St. Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt
Phone: + 202 / 2735-40-61,
+ 202 / 2736-54-94,
+ 202 / 2736-70-94
Fax: + 202 / 2735-39-13
E-mail: serbia@serbiaeg.com
konzul@serbiaeg.com
Sajt: http://www.cairo.mfa.gov.rs

Diplomatic Relations 

Diplomatic relations between Montenegro and the Arab Republic of Egypt develop, traditionally, in the spirit of understanding and friendship. There is a mutual interest, expressed on multiple occasions, for the advancement of cooperation in all relevant areas.

The Arab Republic of Egypt officially recognized Montenegro on the 27th of September 2006, and the diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on the same day.

H.E. Gojko Čelebić presented his credentials to the President of Egypt Abdel Fatah al-Sisi on the 16th of February 2015, thus becoming the non-residential Ambassador of Montenegro, with residence in Podgorica.

The newly appointed ambassador of Egypt to Montenegro (with residence Prague, Czechia), Saïd Hindam, presented his credentials to H.E. Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro, on the 13th of May 2019.

Political Contacts

The political contacts on the highest statesmen's level are seen as frequent and regular. In October of 2019, the former Foreign Minister H.E. Srđan Darmanović paid an official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The former Foreign Minister of Egypt, Ahmed Abul Geit, paid an official visit to Montenegro in February 2010, on which occasion he had meetings with the highest officials of the state. The visit of the former Defence Minister of Montenegro, Predrag Bošković, to Egypt took place between the 8th and 11th of December 2019 (and it was initiated by the Egyptian side).

Economic Cooperation / International Trade

Overall exchange of goods and services in 2020 (January – November) amounted to €3,160,219 (out of which the exports were €1,089,845, and the imports were €2,070,374€); overall exchange in 2019 was €2,739,007 (exports – 888,339€, imports – €1,850,668); overall exchange in 2018 was €2,967,848 (exports – €1,063,884, imports – €1,903,964); overall exchange in 2017 was €4,052,443 (exports – €2,642,450, imports €1,409,993); overall exchange in 2016 was €3,006,301 (exports – €2,099,394, imports - €906,907); overall exchange in 2015 was €2,806,793 (exports - €1,611,586, imports - €1,195,207).

Direct investments (FDI) from Egypt in 2017 amounted to €344.200. In 2018, the FDI totaled €566,350€, while in 2019 they were €789,950.

„Luštica Bay“ is considered one of Egypt's largest direct investments in Montenegro. In October of 2009, the company "Luštica development", that used to own 6,8 million square kilometers of land on the Peninsula of Luštica (in Montenegro), was sold to "Orascom Hotels & Development", a Swiss-Egyptian consortium and a leading Arab company in the area of tourism.

Miscellaneous

By signing various bilateral agreements, the two coutries have, so far, formalized their cooperation in the fields of foreign affairs (in 2008), culture (in 2017), while the visas for the holders of the diplomatic and official passports were also abolished (in 2010). The process of harmonization is ongoing, with regards to the Agreement on the Economic Cooperation, as well as the new Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation (at this moment, in this respect, the bilateral agreement between Egypt and the former State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, from 2005, is still being applied, after the right of succession). The Egyptian side has expressed it's interest in stronger mutual representation of tourist potentials in both countries, as well as in establishing a maritime line - from Bar (Montenegro) to Alexandria (Egypt).

With regard to the cooperation between Egypt and NATO - this state is a member of the Mediterraenan Dialogue, the forum whose purpose is in cooperation between NATO, on one side and, besides Egypt, six more states, on the other side. The Mediterranean Dialogue was launched in 1994, "to create good relations and better mutual understanding and confidence throughout the region, promoting regional security and stability and explaining NATO's policies and goals."

In March of 2015, H.E. Gojko Čelebić, otherwise the non-residential Ambassador of Montenegro to Egypt (from Podgorica), took office of the Ambassador of Montenegro to the Arab League. Arab League, AL, is an international organization comprised of 22 member-states. It was formed in 1946 in Cairo, and Egypt is one of it's members. Arab League is, besides African Union (AU) cosidered to be the most influential multilateral subject in the aforementioned part of the world. Montenegro has the status of a guest-state in AL.

It is noteworthy that, amidst the global Coronavirus crisis, in April of 2020, Samih Saviris, an Egyptian businessman (otherwise known as the owner of the Swiss-Egyptian company „Orascom“, which does business in Montenegro), donated one half million euros on the account of the former National Coordination Body (NKT) for the fight against the Coronavirus - which was, at the time, the largest single donation on the mentioned occcasion.