Egypt and the European Union (EU) have held their first Joint Committee meeting since Egypt’s accession to the Horizon Europe programme, marking a significant milestone in scientific and technological co-operation.
The session also served as the ninth meeting of the Egypt-EU Joint Committee on Science and Technology Co-operation and was held at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the New Administrative Capital.
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdelaziz Qansowa and EU Ambassador to Egypt Angelina Eichhorst co-chaired the meeting, which brought together senior officials from the European Commission, Egyptian ministries, universities and research institutions.
Qansowa said Egypt’s participation in Horizon Europe, formalised during the Egypt-EU Summit attended by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, provides a strategic platform for transforming knowledge into innovation that supports economic growth and competitiveness.
He stressed Egypt’s ambition to translate scientific research into technologies, industries and employment opportunities, thereby strengthening the national innovation ecosystem.
For her part, Ambassador Eichhorst described research and innovation as a cornerstone of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU, reaffirming the bloc’s commitment to closer co-operation. She highlighted the success of previous joint initiatives in infrastructure development and capacity building, noting the expanding opportunities available to Egyptian researchers.
Discussions focused on enhancing co-operation in key sectors, including water security, renewable energy and hydrogen, health and biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies. Both sides also emphasised the importance of greater private-sector participation, stronger national co-ordination, and deeper integration of Egyptian institutions into European and global innovation networks.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening scientific and innovation partnerships, maximising the contribution of research to sustainable development, and supporting economic growth across Egypt, Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.
