Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, France's President Emmanuel Macron, and the Secretary General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie Louise Mushikiwabo pose for a group photo along side members of the university faculties and invitees during the inauguration ceremony of the new Senghor University campus in Borg El-Arab, near in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria. Photos courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency
According to the Egyptian presidency, El-Sisi welcomed Macron upon his arrival at the university’s new campus, where the two leaders posed for an official photo before holding expanded talks attended by delegations from both countries.
Inaugurated in 1990, Senghor University is a French-language international university that offers training on sustainable development in a context of globalization.
In addition to the Alexandria campus, Senghor University has 10 other campuses in Africa and Europe, offering specialised courses to meet the needs of strengthening the development skills of specialists for Africa's development.
Named after former Senegalese president Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senghor University hosts around 200 students who are chosen after a selective competition involving more than 3,000 candidates from 25 different countries.
Presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said El-Sisi praised the strength of Egyptian-French ties, highlighting the significant progress in bilateral relations, particularly after the elevation of ties to a strategic partnership during Macron’s visit to Egypt in April 2025.
The Egyptian president stressed the importance of continuing joint efforts to boost cooperation in trade, investment, education, industry, and transport in a way that serves the shared interests of both peoples and strengthens relations between Egypt and the European Union.
For his part, Macron expressed his pleasure at returning to Egypt and congratulated El-Sisi on the inauguration of the university’s new headquarters, describing it as an academic institution that supports scientific and cultural cooperation among member states of the International Organisation of La Francophonie and contributes to preparing future leaders.
The French president also praised the current momentum in bilateral relations and affirmed France’s commitment to expanding cooperation across various sectors, highlighting the volume of French trade and investments in Egypt and expressing Paris’ aspiration to deepen economic partnership between the two countries.
The talks also addressed regional developments, with El-Sisi reviewing Egypt’s efforts to contain ongoing tensions in the region and stressing the need to prevent further escalation and instability due to their repercussions on regional and global security as well as supply chains, trade, and transportation.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s firm support for the security and stability of Arab states and rejected any infringement on their sovereignty or the resources of their peoples. Macron, in turn, commended Egypt’s efforts and voiced hope for a swift resolution to the current regional crises to restore peace and stability in the Middle East.
The two leaders also discussed developments related to the Palestinian issue. El-Sisi reviewed Egypt’s efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and implement the second phase of the deal, while stressing the need to ensure the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid and to launch early recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The Egyptian president also expressed deep concern over escalating violations in the West Bank, reiterating that the only path to lasting peace lies in reviving a political process leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution framework.
El-Sisi also praised France’s “constructive role” in supporting the Palestinian cause.
The discussions further touched on developments in Lebanon and ways to enhance cooperation among Mediterranean countries to achieve development, prosperity, and stability.
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