Mini is held today (16.3.2024) in Cairo focusing on a “strategic and comprehensive partnership” with . At this session, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leien, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the Italian counterpart of Georgia Meloni and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehamer send a message of practical support at the time when Egypt’s constantly deteriorating economy is affected by the growing public debt that exceeds 90% of GDP and immigration pressure is increasing. The EUR 7.4 billion package, as stated by the Financial Times, will concern immigration, trade, water resources, human capital and demography. Of this money, EUR 1 billion is for short-term needs and will be released in 2024, while the EUR 4 billion for which the European Parliament’s approval is needed, is for the period 2025-2027, EUR 1.8 is aimed at investment and is in cooperation with European authorities, while EUR 600 million is related to projects mainly in the field of migration and technical assistance (e.g. border strengthening, reception centres, border guards training). Assistance will come from loans, reallocations and guarantees, and the total amount of EUR 7.4 billion will not be allowed to increase in the coming period. The investment conference for Egypt is likely to take place this semester. The Vice-President of the Commission, Margaritis Schinas, from the Aeges a few 24 hours before the arrival of the European leaders in Cairo had noted that “while the overall picture of migration flows in Southeast Europe is better overall, it is true that in recent weeks we have a growing pressure from Libya to Crete” pointing out that “it is an issue that concerns us, we monitor it very closely, we are in direct contact with the Greek authorities and are ready to help, where necessary, as long as this development takes.” Upgrading the EU-Egypt relationship As a European source says, ‘in this EU-Egypt partnership, the depth and quality of this relationship is important’. Twenty years after the entry into force of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement, the relationship is being upgraded, an objective, which was noted last January after the tenth meeting of the EU-Egypt Association Council, and where there was a feature: “The EU and Egypt intend to pursue a cooperation that promotes multilateral approach and based on international order rules. They will continue to cooperate to promote stability, peace and security in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Africa. Given the importance they attach to their relationship, the EU and Egypt intend to upgrade it to a comprehensive and strategic partnership level.” In particular, the broad agreement with Egypt is differentiated from the EU-Turkey Declaration signed in 2016 and concerned only immigration, as well as the Memorandum of Cooperation with Tunisia if there is now talk of a ‘inclusive-inclusive agreement’. The signing of the comprehensive partnership with Egypt takes place after the launch of the maritime humanitarian corridor in Cyprus and two days after the first ship arrived in Gaza with humanitarian assistance from Larnaca. According to sources, Cyprus maintains extremely close relations with states in the region, especially with Cairo “relationships are timeless and are one of the few countries that has an Intergovernmental Cooperation Council”, while regarding the joint declaration to be signed at today’s summit, Nikos Christodoulides had stressed in the past, before Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October, the need for the EU to increase its involvement in the region and especially Egypt. The President of the European Commission had been in Egypt and last November with a key part of the visit to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, while stressing that Egyptian President Fatah Al-Sisi discussed cooperation so as to avoid the regional escalation of the Middle East war. The role of GREGY The EU’s importance in relations with Egypt was also reflected in the statements made by Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varheli last January, who had pointed out that this is a “golden era in EU-Egypt relations”, while making special reference to GREGY. “Egypt can become not only a reliable supplier of natural gas, but also a reliable source of renewable energy. For this reason, we stressed that the status of the project of mutual interest for the GREGY project, the deep-sea electricity cable between Greece and Egypt is important” had highlighted features. EU strong relations with countries of origin and transit At the same time, however, there are voices that bring to the fore the issue of human rights in Egypt. The mission is within the framework of “the discussions with Egypt on how the partnership will be strengthened. There are special mechanisms for discussing human rights including Egypt” Commission chief representative Eric Mamer had pointed out on 13 March. The issue had also been raised by the Netherlands during a visit debate, but as the general situation, the Middle East war, the instability in Sudan and Libya, states bordered by Egypt make the importance of cooperation clear to the Member States. The European source refers to a ‘realist approach’ on the part of Brussels, while another source highlights the importance of ‘the EU making strong relations with the countries of origin and transit of migrants with a view to stabilising the situation’. The way the EU has chosen to deal with immigration is also by trying to ‘ face the problem at its root’, and by contacting the countries of origin and transit, as had happened after the tooling of migrants in Evros, the management of a corresponding situation when Belarus used ‘as a weapon’ immigrants, as well as by fermentations with countries such as Iraq. In the small April plenary in Brussels, the European Parliament is likely to vote on the Immigration and Asylum Pact by bringing new rules even closer together. SOURCE: RES-BE
EU – Egypt: Mini-session in Cairo aimed at a strategic and comprehensive partnership
—