EU has 250 projects worth €1.3B in Egypt: Surkos

CAIRO - 1 August 2017: The European Union (EU) has 250 projects that cover several fields in Egypt including water and transportation, said the head of the EU Delegation in Cairo Ivan Surkos.

Addressing a press meeting on Monday, Surkos estimated grants offered by the EU to Cairo at €1.3 billion, topping Egypt's donors.

As for the trade exchange between Egypt and the EU, he said that it accounts for 30 percent of Egypt's total trade, adding that the volume hit €27 billion in 2016.

Surkos reiterated support for Egypt in the fight against terrorism, renewing condemnation of all terrorist attacks on civilians and state institutions in Egypt.

He underlined the importance of a recent EU-Egypt partnership meeting held in Brussels, saying that the meeting stressed the strategic relations between Cairo and the European bloc.

As for the crisis with Qatar, Surkos said the EU urges the parties to have negotiations to solve the crisis. He added that the EU has support the Kuwait mediation to settle the crisis.