Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on Monday in Cairo with European Union (EU) Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica to discuss furthering cooperation between Europe and Egypt, presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said.

The meeting was attended by Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and a number of other officials. 

El-Sisi reiterated Egypt's readiness, in light of its current presidency of the African Union, to cooperate with the Commission of the EU via initiatives that aim at serving the development goals of the African continent in line with Agenda 2063.

The president also stressed the need to utilise Egyptian expertise and European funding mechanisms to attain these development goals, especially in the economic integration domain. El-Sisi urged the implementing of more infrastructure projects in African countries to help promote investments and create more job opportunities in the continent.

Mimica expressed the EU’s appreciation for the strong and historical relations with Egypt, stressing the European side's reliance on Egypt's stability as a crucial element in achieving balance and maintaining peace and security in the southern Mediterranean region.

Mimica also expressed the EU's readiness to promote cooperation with Egypt at various levels in light of common interest in facing the challenges in the Mediterranean region, and given Egypt’s importance in the region, which was recently reflected in its successful hosting of the first Arab-European Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh.