Israel’s new ambassador to Egypt, David Govrin, presented his credentials to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Cairo.

An Egyptian army band played the ‘’Hatikvah’’, Israel’s national anthem, during the ceremony.

Govrin said he spoke briefly, in Arabic, with Sisi, who asked about his background and stressed the importance he places on the relationship with Israel.

The diplomat was one of eight ambassadors who presented their credentials at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in the Egyptian capital, the others being the new envoys from the United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Belgium and Greece.

“I’m very proud to be appointed to this position in Egypt — the mother of the world, a land of ancient culture and history,” Govrin said, adding that a close relationship between Cairo and Jerusalem was vital to achieving peace and stability in the region.

According to the report, Ambassador David Govrin, whose appointment was approved in April, arrived in Egypt earlier this summer. But he was officially welcomed on Wednesday by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who also received the credentials of the new ambassadors to Egypt from Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Mexico, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates and Somalia.

“I’m very proud to be appointed to this position in Egypt — the mother of the world, a land of ancient culture and history,” Govrin said, adding that a close Jerusalem-Cairo relationship was vital to achieving peace and stability in the region.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who visited Israel in July – the most senior Egyptian official to do so since 2007.

Govrin, who speaks fluent Arabic and has a doctorate in Middle East history, takes over as ambassador after serving most recently as the director of the Foreign Ministry’s Jordan and North Africa Department, coordinating ties with the Hashemite Kingdom, Morocco and Tunisia.

He replaced Haim Koren, who served in the post for two years.

Cairo’s current ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat, arrived in Tel Aviv in January, the first resident Egyptian envoy since then-president Mohamed Morsi withdrew then-ambassador Atef Salem in 2012 during Operation Pillar of Defense.

In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with Israel, though the relationship was at times strained over the years. However, Israel-Egypt ties have improved since Sissi took power in 2013, after ousting his predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

With shared regional interests — including the containment of Iran and combating ISIS in the Sinai and Hamas in Gaza — relations between Israel and Egypt have continued to blossom.