Egypt’s FM discusses Strengthening Egypt-EU relations

CAIRO – 28 October 2024: Badr Abd El-Atty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, welcomed Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament, to discuss the progress of Egypt-European Union relations following the recent elevation of their partnership to a comprehensive strategic level.

According to the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, Minister Abd El-Atty highlighted the progressive trajectory of Egypt-EU relations, noting the momentum gained after the European Commission President’s March 17, 2024, visit to Cairo, where both sides announced the formal enhancement of their partnership. Abd El-Atty underscored Egypt's dedication to fully realizing this partnership and welcomed the European People's Party Group’s support in boosting joint cooperation.

Minister Abd El-Atty reaffirmed Egypt’s steadfast commitment to advancing its economic reform agenda despite the regional and global challenges that have directly impacted the economies of neighboring countries, including Egypt. He explained that these challenges have not deterred the Egyptian government from continuing its ambitious development plans.

Recently, Egypt has taken several steps to support foreign direct investment by addressing obstacles for investors and creating a business-friendly environment aimed at achieving Egypt’s economic reform objectives.

The discussions also focused on Egypt-EU cooperation on migration issues within a comprehensive framework that links migration with development and tackles the root causes of irregular migration. Abd El-Atty highlighted Egypt's achievements in stemming illegal migration to Europe and the challenges associated with sustaining these efforts. Furthermore, he addressed Egypt’s holistic approach to combating terrorism, emphasizing the ideological aspects and efforts to counter extremist discourse by addressing the economic, social, and ideological dimensions contributing to terrorism.

The dialogue extended to Egypt’s regional role in de-escalation efforts, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. Minister Abd El-Atty detailed Egypt’s diplomatic endeavors to secure an immediate ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid access in these regions. He stressed the necessity of European support for the Palestinian Authority and emphasized the importance of UNRWA's role in providing essential support to Palestinian refugees.

This meeting underscored the strengthening Egypt-EU partnership as both parties emphasized their shared interests in economic development, regional stability, and addressing key humanitarian concerns.