Macron Invites Sisi to Attend G7 Summit

By Nawal Sayed

CAIRO, March 10 (SEE) - President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a telephone call on Saturday evening from French President Emmanuel Macron inviting him to attend the Group of Seven Summit next August in Paris.

According to a statement issued by the Egyptian presidential media office, the two presidents discussed aspects of cooperation, especially cultural relations, between the two countries.

“This is in light of celebrating the Egyptian-French cultural year in 2019, which witnesses various mutual cultural and artistic events to consolidate friendship between the two peoples,” the statement read.

During the call, Macron affirmed his country’s keenness to enhance cooperation and friendship with Egypt, in light of its significant and pivotal role in reinforcing security and stability in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.

The French president congratulated Sisi on the successful first LAS-EU Summit and lauded its positive outcome as well as the Summit’s in depth discussions that addressed both Arab and European regional concerns.

Both leaders exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest, mainly the situation in Libya.

Egypt’s Sisi confirmed the importance of reaching a comprehensive political solution backed by the UN. The solution is based on implementing the Libyan political agreement to preserve Libya’s unity and territorial integrity. This in turn, will help restore the role of national state institutions, mainly the army.

Sisi affirmed the importance that Egypt attached to relations with France and expressed that it looks forward to working closely in all fields. Cairo and Paris are striving to enhance coordination and consultation on various regional issues to address current challenges, mainly crises in the Middle East that extend to the Mediterranean Sea region.

“Both leaders also exchanged views on cooperation prospects in Africa, especially in the area of development and in light of Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union,” the statement added.