Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty chaired the 11th session of the EU-Egypt Association Council. The high-level meeting was co-chaired by Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Dubravka €¦ uica, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, with more than ten European foreign ministers in attendance.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tamim Khallaf stated that Abdelatty emphasized during his opening address that this session marks the inaugural Association Council meeting convened under the umbrella of the Egypt-EU Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, which was launched in Cairo in March 2024. Abdelatty noted that the meeting provides a vital opportunity to assess bilateral progress in the partnership's six foundational pillars, while mapping out a more ambitious vision for future Egypt-EU cooperation amid pressing geopolitical challenges.
This collaborative framework aims to reinforce joint efforts to achieve peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainable development in the Mediterranean region. Abdelatty pointed out that the inaugural Egypt-EU Summit, held in Brussels in October 2025, constituted a historic milestone in bilateral relations, expressing Cairo's anticipation of hosting the second summit in Egypt in 2027.
He underscored the growing importance of security cooperation between Egypt and the EU, highlighting the launch of their inaugural Security and Defense Dialogue in March 2026, which followed the second round of the bilateral Counter-Terrorism Dialogue held in January. On the economic front, Abdelatty affirmed that economic cooperation remains a cornerstone of the strategic partnership.
Abdelatty pointed out to the steady expansion of European investments and collaboration in the energy and green hydrogen sectors, alongside the significant momentum generated by the Egypt-EU Investment Conference in Cairo in 2025 and the high-level investment event held in Brussels later that same year. He further outlined the structural reforms implemented by Egypt to optimize the business environment and enhance the role of the private sector.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause, calling for concerted regional and international efforts to implement the prerequisites of the first phase of US President Trump's peace plan. This includes guaranteeing full and sustainable humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip and deploying an international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire and secure aid delivery. He also stressed the importance of enabling the National Committee for Gaza Management to assume its duties from within the Strip until the Palestinian Authority returns to exercise its full responsibilities.