PM Mitsotakis in Cairo for EU-Egypt mini-summit

The visit to Cairo by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is among a group of European leader accompanying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the Egyptian capital on Sunday, is expected to acknowledge Egypt’s important and critical role in the South Mediterranean region and Africa amid multiple crises, as well as its role as a reliable, strategic ally of the European Union, especially in migration and energy.

Government sources noted that Mitsotakis has long highlighted the important of European support for Egypt and the need to promote an EU-Egypt strategic cooperation agreement. He was also the first European leader to point out Egypt’s importance for stability in the region a few days after Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel.

Events in Gaza and the challenges posed by migration give Cairo an even more central role, they noted, pointed to Greece’s 2022 agreement with Egypt regarding migration and the prime minister’s bilateral meeting with Egypt’s president ahead of the mini-Summit with the rest of the European leaders.

Greece has excellent relations with Egypt and shared views regarding the wider Mediterranean region and on finding solutions promoting stability and peace there. It was also the first country to identify Egypt’s strategic importance in terms of the transfer of green electricity to Europe through the Greece-Egypt electricity interconnector (GREGY), which has been added to the EU list of Projects of Mutual Interest. The mini-summit of EU leaders and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi taking place in Cairo on Sunday, meanwhile, will focus on a “strategic and comprehensive partnership” with Egypt. Along with Mitsotakis, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, the European Commission president will send a message of active support at a time when Egypt’s deteriorating economy is struggle with an increased public debt exceeding 90% of GDP and migration pressure is increasing. A financial package of 7.4 billion euros, according to “Financial Times”, will concern migration, trade, water resources, human capital and demographics.

During his visit, Mitsotakis is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the Egyptian President at 13:15 on Sunday, which will be followed by a meeting between the Egyptian president and the European leaders at 14:30. Subsequently, there will be broader talks between the delegations of the countries involved, with the leaders scheduled to make statements to the press at 17:15.