Egypt’s president meets EU leaders on boosting ties

Summary:

• Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed strengthening Egyptian-European ties and the signing of a declaration to elevate relations. Sisi also met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to emphasize the importance of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and Egypt’s stance against the forced displacement of Palestinians.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday held a meeting on boosting Egyptian-European ties, said the Egyptian presidency.

Sisi and von der Leyen discussed the expected signing of a joint political declaration document to elevate bilateral relations to “strategic and comprehensive partnership,” the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Later in the day, Sisi met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, whose country holds the current European Union (EU) rotating presidency.

Both meetings stressed the necessity of reaching a ceasefire in the besieged Palestinian Gaza Strip, which has been suffering a deadly Israeli military campaign over the past five months.

Sisi reaffirmed “Egypt’s rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinians outside their land and that it would not allow it,” according to the statement.

The meetings are expected to be followed by an Egyptian-European summit that includes leaders of Cyprus, Italy, Greece and Austria.

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