Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. Photo courtesy of Egypt's ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting focused on expanding cooperation following the recent elevation of Egyptian-French ties to a strategic partnership, while also addressing developments in the Gaza war, US-Iran negotiations, and the situation in Lebanon, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.
The talks come amid intensified regional diplomatic activity aimed at preventing further escalation, with Egypt maintaining a central mediation role in ceasefire negotiations and broader regional de-escalation efforts.
Abdelatty and Barrot praised the depth of relations between the two countries and expressed aspirations to broaden cooperation across political, economic, and trade sectors.
On regional developments, Abdelatty reviewed the latest progress in negotiations between the US and Iran, stressing that diplomacy remained “the only way” to reduce tensions and end the conflict.
Abdelatty also underscored the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation and taking into account the security concerns of Gulf Arab states, while reaffirming Egypt’s condemnation of “unjustified attacks” against Arab countries.
The two ministers also exchanged views on the Palestinian issue, with Abdelatty emphasizing the need to implement the commitments of the first phase of the ceasefire, brokered by Cairo, Doha, Ankara, and Washington last October, and move swiftly toward launching the second phase.
He further stressed the importance of enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) to begin operating from inside the territory and called for the rapid deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF).
On Lebanon, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for Lebanese sovereignty and stability, condemning repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese territory and stressing the need to preserve the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
He also emphasized the importance of supporting Lebanese national institutions so they can fully carry out their responsibilities in maintaining the country’s security and stability.
For his part, Barrot praised the growing momentum in Egyptian-French relations across multiple sectors and expressed appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to contain regional escalation and support stability in the Middle East.
The two ministers agreed to continue close coordination and consultation in the coming period and to work jointly to reduce tensions and support regional security and stability.
The Abdelatty-Barrot meeting took place one day after French President Emmanuel Macron visited Egypt and met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in Alexandria.
During the visit, El-Sisi and Macron inaugurated the new Senghor University campus in Borg El-Arab and held expanded talks focused on bilateral cooperation and regional crises, particularly the wars on Gaza and Lebanon and escalating tensions involving Iran.
The two presidents stressed the need to prevent further regional escalation and warned about the impact of instability on global security, trade routes, supply chains, and transportation. El-Sisi also reiterated Egypt’s rejection of violations of Arab states’ sovereignty, while Macron praised Cairo’s efforts to contain tensions in the region.
The visit built on the strategic partnership agreement signed during Macron’s previous trip to Egypt in April 2025, which elevated bilateral relations and expanded cooperation in sectors including transport, energy, health, education, and infrastructure.
In recent weeks, Cairo and Paris have also launched their first formal strategic dialogue mechanism, reviewing hundreds of millions of euros in joint financing and development agreements while coordinating positions on Middle East crises and international issues.
French investments in Egypt have continued to expand, with around 940 French companies currently operating in the Egyptian market and bilateral trade reaching a record $2.9 billion in 2024.
Short link: