Josep Borrell visits Egypt, holds talks on Gaza War with President Sisi

CAIRO – 9 September 2024: President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi received Monday EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and an accompanying delegation that included the union's special representative for the Middle East peace process.

The two sides commended the momentum in bilateral relations that culminated to signing the strategic and comprehensive partnership agreement earlier this year. They agreed on building on that milestone in the sectors of investment, trade, energy, migration and environment.  

Yet, the meeting mostly focused on the Gaza War and Middle East tensions. President Sisi presented the efforts deployed by Egypt – in cooperation with partners – to attain a ceasefire and captive exchange agreement. The chief of state underlined that such agreement was essential to end the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, and begin the path to the two-state solution that would ensure peace, co-existence, stability and development in the region.

The president equally warned of the risks of continuous escalation, which would incur the expansion of the scope of conflict, reiterating that the international community – including the EU - must fulfill its duties on the front of ending the war, and violence in the West Bank.

On his side, Borrell valued the role played by Egypt to back stability in the Middle East, affirming the EU's keenness on continuous consultation with the country. In turn, President Sisi hailed the EU high representative for his objective and fair stances in the past period.