Sisi, Tusk prioritize political solutions to regional crisis

CAIRO - 24 February 2019: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi received President of the European Council Donald Tusk on Sunday on the sidelines of the Arab-European Summit that will kick off in few hours in Sharm El Sheikh.

The talks covered Egyptian-European ties on the political, economic, and developmental scales. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the growth in institutional cooperation, and affirmed the importance of continuous coordination and dialogue with regard to mutual challenges and interests.

The meeting discussed Egyptian-European coordination on crucial international and regional matters in global organizations such as peace process in the Middle East, Libya, Syria, and Yemen. There is congruence among both parties that political solutions must be key to resolve crisis while maintaining each state’s national institutions, territorial integrity, and sovereignty in order to reinstate stability in the region and securing a better future for its peoples.

President Sisi highlighted Europe’s status in Egypt’s foreign policy which values mutual respect with regard to every state’s privacy. The president added that Europe is a main trade partner to Egypt, and that Mediterranean countries in Europe and Egypt face the same challenges.

Tusk lauded Egypt’s value on the international and regional scales as it connects Europe with the Arab World, and backs security and stability in the region that currently goes through a critical stage of turbulence, and socio-political tensions.


President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and President of the European Council Donald Tusk in a meeting attended by Egyptian and European officials on the sidelines of the Arab-European Summit held in Sharm El Sheikh. February 24, 2019. Press Photo

Tusk expressed his happiness to be in Sharm El Sheikh, and attend the first edition of Arab-European Summit fostered by Egypt.

Tusk praised Egypt’s efforts to combat illegal migration as the flow of illegal migrants from Egypt to Europe came to a halt in 2016.

On the other hand, President Sisi said he contemplates boosting joint cooperation with Europe to combat terrorism, and violent extremism. The president highlighted the necessity to adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses the roots of such phenomena, and to abort attempts by certain international parties to back and finance terror organizations.

Tusk discussed with president Sisi cooperation with Egypt on preserving peace and security in Africa. President Sisi presented the priorities of Egypt’s policy on Africa as it looks forward to partnerships with Europe in the realms of post-conflict reconstruction, and socio-economic development.

The president added that Egypt can take part in pertinent projects, particularly in countries producing the greatest numbers of illegal migrants, capitalizing on the experience and expertise it possesses in that regard.

Earlier in February, Egypt started its one-year chairmanship of the African Union (AU).

Tusk is expected to meet with UK Prime Minister Theresa May in Sharm El Sheikh on the sidelines of the Arab-European Summit attended by 24 out of 28 EU members, as reported by AFP.