Egypt and the European Union are seeking to further strengthen their strategic partnership following high-level talks in Cairo between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Abdel-Aati said the discussions reflected the depth of cooperation between the two sides, noting that relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership nearly two years ago. He added that both parties reviewed progress on implementing the outcomes of the first Egypt-EU summit, held in Brussels with the participation of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
The foreign minister stressed the importance of removing obstacles facing Egyptian exports to European markets and expanding the Egyptian-European Investment Platform launched last June. Talks also focused on enhancing economic cooperation, particularly in renewable and clean energy, with Egypt aiming to position itself as a regional hub for energy production and export.
Abdel-Aati welcomed increased European investment in green hydrogen and green ammonia projects, as well as progress on electricity interconnection projects linking Egypt with Greece and Italy, each with a planned capacity of 3,000 megawatts.
Migration and refugees were also high on the agenda, with Egypt hosting millions of displaced people from neighboring conflict zones. Both sides underscored the need for closer cooperation to address irregular migration.
Regional developments were discussed, including the Palestinian issue, the conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, and security in the Red Sea. Abdel-Aati reaffirmed Egypt’s role in mediation efforts to maintain a ceasefire in Gaza, a role he said has received EU support.
In turn, Kallas described Egypt as an “indispensable partner” for the European Union and said Brussels is considering ways to support the Egyptian economy and encourage European investment, alongside ongoing economic reforms.
Abdel-Aati said Egypt has taken steps to improve the investment climate by expanding private-sector guarantees, offering tax incentives, and reducing the state’s role in direct investment, with the aim of raising private-sector participation to 70% of total investment by 2030.
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