BRUSSELS – Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania el Mashat has met with European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela to discuss strengthening the strategic partnership between Egypt and the European Union.
During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 2025 Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, discussions focused on EU-Egypt relations, developments in the Middle East—especially efforts to end the war on Gaza—and Egypt’s pivotal role in regional stability.
Mashat said that the EU has committed €7.4 billion in strategic investments across six priority areas, including political cooperation, economic stability, migration, and education.
A new cooperation framework (2025–2027) is being prepared, including €600 million in grants, she noted.
She also pointed out to the disbursement of the first €1 billion tranche under the EU’s Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism last December, adding that Egypt is working with the EU to implement 87 reforms, which are to be funded as part of the second phase of the mechanism estimated at €4 billion .
Mashat reviewed Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development, which ensures aligning the government’s work plan with Egypt’s Vision 2030, while focusing on high-productivity sectors like manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, energy, and ICT, and boosting the role of the private sector.
She reaffirmed the importance of the strategic and comprehensive partnership agreement signed in March 2024, and praised the EU’s role as a key development partner, with a current cooperation portfolio of €1.3 billion.
The minister noted that existing cooperation includes supporting critical sectors like transport, water, agriculture, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), renewable energy, and social protection.
