File Photo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (AP)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is set to head to Brussels to participate in the seventh EU-Egypt Association Council on Monday, which is being held for the first time since April 2010.
In a statement, the Egypt foreign ministry spokesman said that the meeting will be headed by European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and participants will discuss all aspects of Egyptian-European relations.
The meeting aims to deepen the partnership between Egypt and Europe in accordance with the association agreement signed between both parties, which details the cooperation priorities between Egypt and the EU for the coming three years.
The association agreement includes the facilitation of trade between the two markets through the establishment of a free trade area.
By May 2017, EU financial assistance to Egypt amounted to over 1.3 billion euros in grants, with 45 percent of the figure targeting economic and social development, according to the European Commission.
Shoukry is also set to fly to Paris on Tuesday for a visit that aims to bolster Egyptian-French relations, with both sides keen on deepening cooperation.
He is expected to meet his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, as well as the chief of the Senate’s committee on foreign affairs, defence, and the armed forces, Christian Cambon, to discuss cooperation in the economic, military, and cultural fields and regional issues.
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