Egypt’s Sisi, Italy’s Conte discuss bilateral ties, Eastern Mediterranean crisis

CAIRO- 20 November 2020: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday morning, discussing bilateral ties and international and regional issues of mutual concern, according to a statement from the Egyptian Presidency.

The two leaders tackled military and economic relations, besides the latest developments of joint cooperation regarding the ongoing investigations into the case of the Italian student, Giulio Regeni, the statement said.

Regeni, a 28-year old doctoral researcher, disappeared early in 2016 in the Egyptian capital; he was found dead in February of the same year, with his body bearing signs of torture. The perpetrators of the crime have not yet been brought to justice despite judicial cooperation between Egypt and Italy.

“They also exchanged views on a number of regional files of common concern, foremost of which are developments in the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya, the statement said.

The Italian Prime Minister expressed his country's keenness to continue strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the fields of trade, investment and military, the statement added. “He also stressed the importance of intensive coordination and consultation with Egypt on regional issues and ways to settle crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East regions,” the statement read.

President El-Sisi praised the distinguished relations between the two countries in various political, military and economic fields, as well as cooperation to address many challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region, especially combating extremist ideology and terrorism. He stressed the importance that Egypt attaches to the development of various frameworks of joint cooperation, coordination and consultation between Egypt and Italy regarding various regional issues.

On August 24,2019, both leaders met on the fringe of G7 in France's Biarritz and tackled the ongoing Libyan crisis, affirming the importance of reaching a political settlement in Libya guaranteeing its unity without external interference.