A ‘landmark day’ for EU-Egypt relations notes Mitsotakis at EU leaders’ meeting with Egyptian president

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing the start of a meeting of European leaders and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held in Cairo on Sunday, expressed his great joy to be present on what he called a “landmark day” for relations beween the European Union and Egypt.

Mitsotakis was among a group of European leaders that accompanied European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Cairo, for the signature of a Joint Statement for an EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, which she signed with the Egyptian president. In her speech after the meeting, the European Commission President announced that the EU-Egypt partnership will be supported by a new economic and investment package of 7.4 billion euros for the next four years (2024-2027).

In his introductory remarks to the meeting, Mitsotakis noted that it was “a very special day for the EU’s relations with Egypt and for us, Greece and Cyprus, who worked hard to get to the point of upgrading our relations to the level of a comprehensive and strategic partnership.”

He pointed out that this recognised Egypt’s deep strategic significance for stability and prosperity, not just of the Eastern Mediterranean but also of Europe as a whole.
Mitsotakis said that the draft Joint Statement signed by the two sides establishes the various structural elements for implementing “our intention to make the strategic partnership as deep as it needs to be,” whether this concerned economic issues or energy issues. He noted the role the EU can play in helping Egypt stabilise its economy and create jobs for young Egyptians by attracting foreign direct investments.

With regard to energy, he pointed to projects like the GREGY Greece-Egypt Interconnection, which could help Egypt develop renewable energy resources and ensure that they reach Europe, thus enhancing the EU’s energy security or even more ambitious projects, such as storing carbon dioxide.

Among others, he highlighted the potential of cooperation in migration and expressed his support for the position that any forced displacement of Palestinians to Egypt would be unacceptable, expressing hope that the EU and Egypt “can work again in the direction of the only realistic long-term political solution to the Palestinian tragedy: and that is, of course, the solution of two states.”

Also present at the meeting were Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership covers six area of mutual interest: Political relations, economic stability, investment and trade, migration, security, people and skills

Source: ANA-MPA