Barcelona: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty praised the growing momentum in Egypt-European relations during his meeting with the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Å uica. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 10th Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Forum in Barcelona, where both sides discussed ways to enhance the Egyptian-European partnership and reviewed developments on regional issues.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Tamim Khallaf said that Abdelatty stressed that the first Egypt-European Summit, held in Brussels on October 22, 2025, marked a pivotal turning point in developing cooperation between the two sides, particularly in implementing the six pillars of the strategic partnership. He stressed the importance of building on the summit's outcomes. He also welcomed efforts to launch the Mediterranean Charter, which aims to strengthen integration among Mediterranean countries, address common challenges, and seize economic, social, and cultural opportunities.
The minister highlighted the importance of boosting European investments in the Southern Mediterranean, facilitating access for Egyptian exports to European markets, and developing legal migration pathways to serve mutual interests. He underlined linking migration to development and addressing the root causes of irregular migration, taking into account the charter's three main pillars: human development, economy, and security and migration management.
The spokesperson added that the meeting also addressed developments in regional issues, topped by the Palestinian issue. The minister reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to consolidating the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in accordance with the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Agreement. He stressed the importance of implementing the UN Security Council resolution on Gaza and enabling an international stabilization force to carry out its mandate, alongside unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. He also noted Egypt's anticipation of active EU participation in the international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, which Egypt will host.