Cairo: Presidential Spokesman Ambassador Mohamed el Shennawy announced that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron convened for a private summit at the Ittihadiya Palace earlier today, succeeded by an extended session of discussions involving both Egyptian and French officials. According to State Information Service Egypt, Sisi and Macron endorsed a joint declaration to elevate Egyptian-French relations to a strategic partnership. Earlier in the day, the two presidents were present for the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding between their nations. President Sisi welcomed President Macron, who is on a three-day official visit, with a 21-gun salute at the Ittihadiya Palace. The welcoming ceremony included the playing of the national anthems and a review of the guards of honor. Following the bilateral discussions, a trilateral summit involving Egypt, France, and Jordan is scheduled to discuss regional developments, particularly focusing on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.