Egypt, EU to sign Sunday Partnership Priorities Document for 2021-2027

CAIRO – 19 June 2022: Egypt and the European Union will endorse later on Sunday the Partnership Priorities Document for 2021-2027, which is a map of institutional cooperation in various sectors, including agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, green transition, digitalization, and smart transport.

For that purpose, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry headed Sunday to Luxembourg to co-chair - with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell - the ninth session of the EU-Egypt Association Council.  

The minister will also meet with European counterparts, on the sidelines of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting, to hold consultations on matters of mutual interest, with climate being on top of those. That is particularly relevant given Egypt's hosting of COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7-18.

On the bilateral level, Minister Shokry will also be received by Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the ministers of foreign affairs and environment, and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

In addition, the minister will hold talks with the president of the European Investment Bank to discuss possibilities of expanding its investments in Egypt in specific sectors such as green transition.

The foreign affairs minister's visit to Luxembourg comes a few days after the one held by President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Cairo, whereas she attended the signing of an agreement with Egypt and Israel on natural gas export.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry had received on June 1 European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, expressing hope to convene the EU-Egypt Association Council soon to endorse the Partnership Priorities Document for 2021-2027.  

Minister Shokry similarly stressed the importance of continuing cooperation to face the repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine War on food security, and energy. In that framework, the minister noted that Egypt is ready to export the surplus of the natural gas, LNG, and green hydrogen it produces to Europe.  

The minister also presented Egypt's preparations to host COP 27, underlining the necessity of collaboration between Egypt and the EU for the event to succeed. The two parties equally exchanged views on a number of international and regional matters of mutual interest.