The Egypt-EU Summit commenced in Cairo on Sunday, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi hosting dignitaries at the Ittihadya Palace, including the President of the European Commission, the Prime Minister of Belgium, the President of the European Union, the Prime Minister of Greece, the Chancellor of Austria, the President of Cyprus, and the Prime Minister of Italy.
Discussions at the summit centered on the current regional dynamics, particularly the conflict in Gaza. President Al-Sisi emphasized the international community’s duty to promote an immediate ceasefire and to facilitate substantial aid to the Gaza Strip, mitigating the humanitarian crisis it faces.
President Al-Sisi also highlighted the potential consequences of military actions in Rafah, underscoring the importance of pursuing a two-state solution to maintain regional security.
European leaders commended Egypt’s prudent and proactive efforts to stabilize the region and expressed appreciation for Egypt’s relentless pursuit of peace and stability.
The official spokesperson for the Egyptian presidency reported that President Al-Sisi conducted individual meetings with each delegate. He expressed approval of the upgraded Egypt-EU relations to a “strategic and comprehensive partnership,” aiming to enhance cooperation. This upgrade signifies recognition of Egypt’s crucial role in EU-Mediterranean relations and reflects the enduring historical ties and mutual interests between both parties.
The summit’s agenda included discussions on economic and investment collaboration, focusing on formulating concrete steps to leverage the comparative advantages of both entities. Topics of discussion encompassed industrial localization, technology transfer, and workforce training.
Energy cooperation, particularly in energy production and natural gas, was a key subject. The summit explored Egyptian-Cypriot collaboration in this sector, as well as Egypt’s potential in clean energy and green hydrogen. Ongoing cooperative projects with Greece, Belgium, and Austria were also reviewed.
President Al-Sisi and the Italian Prime Minister deliberated on food security, agricultural production, and land reclamation. They agreed to forge a partnership aligning with Egypt’s major national projects, facilitating the transfer of advanced Italian technology to enhance productivity and boost exports of Egyptian agricultural and food products to Europe.
In a separate meeting, President Al-Sisi and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation. A highlight was the signing of the Joint Political Declaration to initiate the elevation of Egypt-EU relations to a “Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership.”
Additionally, the regional situation, including the Gaza Strip, was addressed, with President Al-Sisi advocating for a ceasefire and reaffirming Egypt’s stance against the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Al-Sisi also discussed with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, many bilateral cooperation files, most notably the joint declaration on the establishment of the high-level cooperation council between the two countries. Regional situations were discussed, as the two sides stressed the necessity of intensive work to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, by intensifying pressure to reach an immediate ceasefire.
