Lisbon, 24 July 2025 — Anthony Bailey, Honorary Consul-General of the Kingdom of Tonga to the Portuguese Republic, attended the National Day reception of the Arab Republic of Egypt held this evening at the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon. The reception was hosted by His Excellency Wael Aboubakr El-Naggar, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Portugal.
The celebration, marking Egypt’s National Day, featured a special exhibition dedicated to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s Historic Cities Programme and the master artisans of Cairo’s Darb al-Ahmar district, whose work in architectural conservation, urban revitalisation and traditional crafts has become an international reference point for heritage-led development. The exhibition presented intricate woodwork, metalwork, textiles and design inspired by Cairo’s historic neighbourhoods.
Held in the elegant surroundings of the Ismaili Centre, the reception brought together diplomats, cultural leaders and representatives of Portuguese institutions to celebrate Egypt’s national day and to underline the deepening cultural and diplomatic exchanges between Egypt, Portugal and broader partners.
Relations between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Arab Republic of Egypt were formally established on 28 November 1966. These ties were further reinforced when Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau‘u visited Egypt for COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6–18 November 2022. The King delivered Tonga’s national statement on 7 November 2022, accompanied by the Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon. Hu‘akavameiliku. During the visit, the royal couple also visited the Giza Pyramid Complex.
Near the end of the reception, Ambassador El-Naggar informed guests that his mandate in Portugal was concluding and that he would shortly return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo to assume new responsibilities within the Egyptian diplomatic service.
The Honorary Consul-General maintains long-standing personal and professional connections with Egypt, having previously lived and worked in the country and travelled extensively throughout its regions. Earlier in July 2025, he also attended a private dinner in Geneva with His Majesty King Ahmad Fuad II, Egypt and Sudan’s last reigning monarch, further underscoring his historic relationship with Egypt.
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