Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Thursday discussed activating a $7.5 billion "partnership package" with his Qatari counterpart, Egypt's cabinet said in a statement.

Egypt and Qatar had agreed in April to work towards a package of direct Qatari investments as Cairo pushes to secure funding from Gulf neighbours to tackle heavy foreign debts and a gaping budget deficit.

"Specific projects will be announced in coming weeks," Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said at a joint press conference with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is visiting Egypt.

Last year, Egypt signed a $35 billion deal with the United Arab Emirates to develop a city at Ras El Hekma on Egypt's north coast, which provided a crucial injection of funds for Cairo.

(Reporting by Momen Saeed Atallah; Writing by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Alison Williams and Ros Russell)