Manila: The European Commission has approved the disbursement of the second instalment of the second tranche of its Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) program for Egypt, worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.76 billion), the Egyptian foreign ministry announced on Friday. The payment forms part of the European Union's 5-billion-euro macro-financial assistance package for Egypt. According to State Information Service Egypt, a first instalment of one billion euros under the second tranche was disbursed in January 2026, following an initial one-billion-euro tranche released in 2024. In a statement, the ministry said the decision comes within the framework of the Egypt-EU Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, launched in March 2024, and reflects the depth of ties between the two sides and the progress achieved across various areas of cooperation. The ministry stated that the disbursement underscores the importance of the partnership in supporting Egypt's efforts to maintain economic stability and advance sustainable de velopment. The ministry added the decision also reflects the EU's confidence in Egypt's efforts to promote regional security and stability, as well as its role as a key pillar of stability in the Middle East, the southern Mediterranean, and Africa. It noted that Egypt has held intensive contacts in recent months with EU institutions at all levels to secure support for implementing the political, economic, and security pillars of the strategic partnership in line with the shared interests of both sides.