Speaking at a joint press conference, Abdelatty called for closer cooperation with the European Union and “fair burden-sharing,” saying irregular migration is a shared challenge as Egypt continues to host large refugee populations fleeing regional conflicts.

Abdelatty said the talks also covered trade and investment, including the need to ease barriers facing Egyptian exports to European markets and to move ahead with an Egypt–EU investment platform by widening the sectors open to European capital.

He said Egypt raised the scale of pressures it faces from hosting refugees and stressed the need for sustained international support, while calling for deeper cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration and expand legal migration pathways.

Kallas, who is on an official visit to Egypt, is expected to meet President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday.

The two officials also discussed regional crises, with Abdelatty saying the Palestinian issue topped the agenda. He welcomed European support for Egypt’s role in efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

He said both sides agreed to work to sustain the ceasefire and advance what he described as the second phase of the Trump plan, urging the full implementation of first-phase commitments, including unrestricted humanitarian access and the reopening of the Rafah crossing in both directions.

Abdelatty said Rafah should operate normally to allow the return of Palestinians treated abroad and the exit of those needing medical care. He also called for the swift formation of a Palestinian administrative committee to manage civilian affairs in Gaza.

He urged the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to prevent violations of the agreement and called for early recovery and reconstruction efforts, alongside the completion of Israeli withdrawals from the strip.

Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s rejection of any steps separating Gaza from the West Bank, describing the two territories as inseparable. “This is categorically rejected and cannot be accepted under any circumstances,” he said.

He also condemned Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and said lasting peace depends on Palestinians securing their right to self-determination and an independent state based on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

For her part, Kallas said EU–Egypt relations are strategic and continuing to deepen, praising Cairo’s diplomatic role in regional stability efforts. She reaffirmed EU support for Egypt’s economic reform programme.

Egypt and the EU upgraded relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024, a shift formalized at their first-ever summit in October.

Under the partnership, the EU announced a 7.4 billion euro support package for 2024–2027, including up to 5 billion euros in concessional macro-financial assistance, 1.8 billion euros in investment guarantees and blended finance, and around 600 million euros in grants.