Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on sunday expressed Egypt’s aspiration to develop future co-operation relations with the European Union by formulating a common understanding between the two sides based on the lessons learned from the events in the region during the past decade in light of the intertwining of interests and the escalation of common challenges facing the two shores of the Mediterranean.
The President’s remarks came as he received EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Olivér Várhelyi, in the presence of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri as well as the EU ambassador in Cairo.
For his part, the European Union Commissioner stressed the Union’s appreciation of the strong and historical relations with Egypt, the European side’s reliance on Egypt as a strategic partner in achieving balance and maintaining peace and security in the southern Mediterranean.
He also highlighted the Union’s desire to continue to advance and develop cooperation with Egypt at various levels in light of the common interest in addressing the challenges facing the region.
The EU commissioner praised in this context the insightful Egyptian vision under the wise leadership of the President to achieve comprehensive development in the country and its unremitting efforts in the areas of combating terrorism, extremist ideology and illegal immigration, as well as spreading a culture of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and acceptance of the other.
These issues are at the forefront of the European Union’s priorities, which has made Egypt a regional model to be followed and enjoys the support of its partners, he added.
The meeting also included a review of the various aspects and dimensions of the relationship between Egypt and the European Union, especially in the fields of education, both school and university, as well as healthcare, as they are essential components of the state’s strategy for human building.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in combating the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic through cooperation in joint industrialization of vaccines to exploit the advanced pharmaceutical industrial infrastructure owned by Egypt in order to cover its local needs and export to its regional environment.
The meeting also touched on the file of coordination between Egypt and the European Union on many important international and regional issues especially with regard to settling the existing crises in the region as well as strengthening coordination to combat the phenomena of terrorism, extremist ideology and illegal immigration.
The latest developments of the Palestinian cause were also discussed as the European Commissioner praised the Egyptian moves during the recent period to achieve calm in the Gaza Strip and to establish a ceasefire.
This comes in addition to the initiative related to the reconstruction of Gaza to serve Palestinian citizens in the first place, he said, expressing the European Union’s aspiration to enhance its participation in supporting the efforts of Construction in the sector in coordination with Egypt.
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