Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi left for a two-day trip to Egypt on Tuesday, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Qureshi is visiting Cairo on the invitation of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Radio Pak said. During his visit, FM Qureshi will hold "detailed consultations" with Shoukry. Both officials will also discuss bilateral relations and ways to "further strengthen and diversify" them.

Qureshi and Shoukry will hold a joint press conference as well.

The foreign minister will also hold meetings with the Pakistani community in Egypt as well as with Egyptian businessmen. In his meeting with the latter, Qureshi will talk about investment opportunities in Pakistan and the incentives offered by the government for foreign investors.

The foreign minister will also speak to local and international media.

Before leaving for Cairo, Foreign Minister Qureshi said in a video message that Egypt is an "important country of the Muslim ummah which is also known as Africa's gateway".

"Promotion of trade with African countries is amongst our government's important priorities," he said. The incumbent government has, on many occasions, expressed its desire to enrich financial relations with countries in Africa by exploring its markets and increasing economic diplomacy.

The visit to Cairo is also meant to "promote" relations with "this important country", he said, adding that there are many opportunities to promote economic cooperation with Egypt.

A visit to the prestigious Jamia Al Azhar is also amongst his plans, said Qureshi. The minister said that the government hopes to benefit in the education sector by learning from the institute's experiences.