The key facts

  • El-Sisi flew from Moscow to Budapest on Thursday, October 29, on an official visit not announced in advance
  • The press service of the Egyptian president named neither the duration of the trip nor its program
  • The visit took place immediately after the conclusion of the third Russia–Africa summit, where el-Sisi met with Putin

An unannounced visit to Budapest

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi left Moscow on Thursday, October 29, and headed to Budapest on an official visit to Hungary about which nothing had been announced in advance. This was reported by the Anadolu agency, citing the press service of the Egyptian president. The brief statement from the press service only said that the head of state had arrived in the Hungarian capital 'on an official visit to Hungary'; neither the duration of the trip nor its agenda were disclosed.

Context: the Russia–Africa summit

The visit to Hungary was a continuation of a foreign policy tour: the day before, el-Sisi was in Moscow at the third Russia–Africa summit, which opened on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday. Late on Wednesday evening, the Egyptian president held a meeting in the Kremlin with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. What topics were discussed in Budapest and how long the visit will last have not yet been reported — these are the key open questions regarding this trip.