Sisi says Egypt keen on boosting coop. with EU

NEW YORK – 19 September 2017: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi asserted on Tuesday that Cairo is keen on boosting cooperation with the European Union which is Egypt's number one trade partner.

The president made the remarks during a meeting with president of the European Council Donald Tusk on the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 72) in New York, presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said. The EU's immigration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos also attended the talks.

President Sisi added the Egyptian-EU partnership is a key axis in Egypt’s foreign policy, the spokesman said, adding that the president reiterated the importance of understanding challenges that face Cairo’s development while overcoming terror threats.

Tusk, during their talks, said the EU eyes activation of all frameworks of cooperation with Egypt to overcome challenges shared by the two sides, according to the spokesman.

Also, he praised Cairo’s successful plans to restore stability in Egypt. He voiced the EU's support to its economic reform strategy, the spokesman said.

The commissioner underlined Egypt’s pivotal role in the region, saying it exerts great efforts to fight terrorism and to combat illegal immigration, the spokesman added.

The meeting took up a number of files of mutual interest including efforts exerted by the two sides to control the movement of illegal immigrants. In this context, the president called for adopting an inclusive strategy that covers development problems and conflict which is the main cause for the phenomenon.

The discussions also covered crises in Libya and the Middle East peace process, the spokesman noted.