The talks, led by Egypt’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs Mohamed Abou Bakr and France’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Martin Briens, follow last year’s decision to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, signalling a push to translate political alignment into concrete projects and coordinated positions on global challenges.
Both sides said economic and financial cooperation remains a central pillar of the partnership, highlighting the implementation of a 2026–2030 intergovernmental financing framework based on jointly approved projects.
They also marked 20 years of operations by the French Development Agency (AFD) in Egypt, citing its impact on development sectors.
During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Egypt earlier this year, nine agreements worth €262.2 million were signed to support transport, energy, and housing projects, while France also contributed €150 million in loans and €2 million in grants to Egypt’s Universal Health Insurance Programme, the statement added.
The two sides underscored growing cooperation in green development, including a €45 million Green Sustainable Industry project, and discussed advancing plans for Cairo’s Metro Line 6, building on earlier agreements and technical exchanges.
On migration, officials said negotiations on a bilateral agreement covering returns, readmissions, and legal mobility had progressed, with both sides aiming to finalize a deal in the coming weeks following recent talks in Paris.
Cultural and educational ties also featured prominently, with both countries endorsing a roadmap to expand cooperation in heritage, archaeology, and the creative economy, as well as plans to open new francophone schools and expand French-language education in Egypt.
They further highlighted expanding academic collaboration, including new French university programmes in Egypt and progress on the Université Française d’Égypte’s new campus, as well as joint initiatives in vocational training targeting key sectors such as transport, tourism, and green transition industries.
On global issues, Egypt and France reaffirmed coordination on climate action, biodiversity, artificial intelligence, and multilateral governance, while Paris reiterated support for Egypt’s inclusion in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Regionally, both sides stressed continued cooperation on crisis management, including efforts to achieve a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue and to address conflicts in Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa, as well as discussions on water security.
The next round of the Egypt-France strategic dialogue is scheduled to take place in France in the first half of 2027.
France is one of Egypt’s leading European economic partners, with bilateral trade typically ranging between €2.5 billion and €3.5 billion annually in recent years, according to official French and Egyptian data.
More than 160–180 French companies operate in Egypt, employing around 35,000–40,000 people, across sectors including transport, energy, construction, retail, and telecommunications. Major firms include Alstom, TotalEnergies, Orange, Schneider Electric, and Carrefour.
France is also among Egypt’s top European investors, with cumulative French investments estimated at €5–7 billion, concentrated in infrastructure, hydrocarbons, renewable energy, and urban development.
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