Egypt and EU issue joint declaration to launch Strategic and Comprehensive partnership

Egypt and the EU have mutually agreed to elevate their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership، based on the values of equity and on mutual respect and trust with the EU proposal of a €7.4 billion financial and investment support package for Egypt for 2024-2027 as follows: € 5  billion in concessional loans، €1.8 billion of additional investments،under the Southern Neighborhood Economic and Investment Plan and  €600 million in grants،including €200 million for migration management.

The EU and The Arab Republic of Egypt are taking their cooperation to the level of a Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership and to underpin this partnership، the EU is proposing a total of  €7.4 billion financial and investment support package for Egypt to cover 6 common priorities: Political relations، Economic stability، Investments and trade، Migration and mobility، Security، and People and skills.

Egypt and the EU deal aims to shore up economy and curb migration

Egypt and the European Union deal aims to shore up country’s economy and curb migration via political relations by intensifying their political dialogue with an EU-Egypt Summit once every two years on top of the annual Association Council and to further promote stability، democracy، fundamental freedoms and human rights، gender equality and equal opportunities. 

The EU and The Arab Republic of Egypt agreed also to achieve Economic stability by supporting Egypt’s macro- and socio-economic reforms، including with macro-financial assistance، alongside international partners، as well as providing support to attract private investments.

Investments and trade to mobilise investments to modernise Egypt economy

Egypt and the European Union Strategic and Comprehensive  partnership contains investments and trade which mobilise investments to modernise the economy، including the green and digital transition، especially under the Southern Neighbourhood Economic and Investment Plan with supporting the organisation of the Investment Conference in Cairo and focusing  on energy with EU investment in interconnections betweenthe two shores of the Mediterranean (GREGY project) and in Egypt’s renewable hydrogen industry.

The EU and The Arab Republic of Egypt partnership is concerned with migration and mobility by cooperating on migration across the board from fighting smuggling and trafficking of human beings to strengthening border management and tackling the root causes of illegal migration as well as facilitating legal migration.

Security to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism

The agreement between Egypt and the European Union includes Security to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism، preventing and countering security threats، including cyber، and involve Europol، and to explore further cooperation in law enforcement، fighting organised crime، and providing capacity building and training.

The agreement includes support for Egypt’s energy sector and assistance to deal with the rising number of Sudanese refugees in the country and it also pledges help to fortify Egypt’s border with Libya، from where people are crossing the Mediterranean en route to Europe، according to several EU officials briefed on the matter.

Partnership to support people and develop  skills

The EU and the Arab Republic of Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive  partnership tries to support people and develop  skills so as to continue their joint work on education and training and boost exchanges under Erasmus+، as well as to step up cooperation on research and innovation، with Egypt’s accession to Horizon Europe and Creative Europe.

Egypt and  EU issue joint declaration launching strategic and  comprehensive partnership to implement projects under the Southern Neighbourhood Economic and Investment Plan which contain Energy transition and energy security، Digital transition، Food security and Green transition as well as resource efficiency.

Partnership to support the Nexus Water، Food and Energy Initiative

Egypt and  EU partnership tries to support the Nexus Water، Food and Energy Initiative، as part of Egypt’s climate strategy. Through €35 million in grants، the EU will support Egypt’s objective of installing additional renewable energy capacities and improving energy efficiency of electricity generation.

It supports also the regional MEDUSA Submarine optical fibre cable of 7،100 km connecting North African countries and the two shores of the Mediterranean to manage growing volumes of data and improve connectivity.

Egypt and the European Union deal aims to to help mitigate the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on food security in the southern Neighbourhood، the European Commission created a “Food and Resilience Facility”، with €100 million for Egypt to expand grain storage capacity and production.

Egypt and EU have historical relationship that has bound them for millennia

Egypt and EU، cognizant of the historical relationship that has bound them for millennia، have reiterated their commitments to build on their long-standing relationship that was forged by close geographic، cultural، political، economic and people to people ties، with the aim of deepening their shared stability، peace and prosperity.

The European Union acknowledges Egypt as a reliable partner، as well as Egypt's unique and vital geo-strategic role as a pillar of security، moderation، and peace in the region of the Mediterranean، the Near East and Africa، as both parties recall their commitment to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter، and other relevant multilateral agreements as well as to the Association Agreement and the Egypt-EU partnership priorities 2021-2027 that binds them.

The deal aims to improve wastewater infrastructure and services in Egypt

In conclusion the deal aims to mprove wastewater infrastructure and services in Egypt and to reduce  pollution and improve public health with expansion and upgrade of the Helwan Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Greater Cairo Area as well as improve wastewater infrastructure and access to sanitation services in the Fayoum Governorate in Egypt.

The deal concludes months of negotiations that accelerated in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants and the subsequent war، amid fears of potential refugee movements from Gaza، but Egyptian authorities have kept their border to the enclave sealed and repeatedly rejected the idea of Israel attempting to displace large numbers of Gaza’s 2.3mn inhabitants to the Sinai peninsula.