Speaking at the Egypt–European Union (EU) High-Level Event in Brussels, held alongside the first Egypt-EU Summit and attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, El-Sisi described the gathering as “a new milestone” in bilateral relations.
“The discussions reaffirmed the weight of the economic partnership between Egypt and the EU,” he said, noting that the bloc remains Egypt’s largest trade and investment partner, accounting for around 27 percent of its foreign trade and 32 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024.
Talks covered plans to establish a European investment corridor in Egypt to serve as a gateway to African and Arab markets, as well as proposals to deepen Egypt’s integration into European supply chains.
“The topics reflect the deep and multifaceted economic and trade relations between the two sides, and our shared interest to further advance them in the coming years,” El-Sisi said.
They also discussed the private sector’s growing role as “a key engine for development,” El-Sisi said.
He highlighted that the event builds on momentum from March 2024, when Egypt and the EU elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and the first Egypt-EU Investment Conference held in June 2024.
El-Sisi praised von der Leyen’s “pivotal role” in advancing the partnership, saying Egypt is working “tirelessly” to translate this shared political will into “practical and sustainable cooperation.”
“The events we are witnessing today demonstrate that vision in action,” he said.
Economic cooperation and investment
Egypt and the EU are entering “a new phase” of economic cooperation that demands “a broader vision and greater ambition,” President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said.
He added that Egypt now represents “a real and tangible opportunity for the European business community,” pointing to reforms that have helped stabilize the economy despite regional turbulence.
He cited improved credit outlooks from international ratings agencies and praise from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Cairo’s commitment to a flexible exchange rate. Growth reached 4.4 percent in the final quarter of the 2024/25 fiscal year, compared with 2.4 percent the previous year, he said.
The president reiterated that Egypt would continue to implement its reform agenda with IMF support and accelerate the state-ownership and initial public offering (IPO) programmes to boost private-sector participation.
El-Sisi highlighted Egypt’s strategic location and its network of trade agreements, describing the country as a potential production hub for European supply chains.
Cairo, he said, offers “an integrated system of incentives” including tax breaks, profit repatriation, and competitively priced labour and energy.
Investment platform
The president announced the launch of the Egyptian-European Investment Platform, a mechanism to stimulate EU investment in priority sectors and expand public-private partnerships.
He urged European firms to view Egypt not just as a market but as “a reliable production partner” that can host European manufacturing lines.
“The need to restructure supply chains in our two regions is more pressing than ever,” he said, adding that Egypt could become “the industrial and technological ally Europe needs to secure its supplies and diversify its sources.”
Sectors open for joint investment include pharmaceuticals, automotive manufacturing, fertilisers, petrochemicals, renewable energy, green hydrogen, microchips, AI, defence industries, and logistics.
“I assure you that your investments in Egypt will not only generate financial returns but also contribute to building a more balanced regional economy,” El-Sisi said.
He called on the European Commission to expand investment-guarantee tools and urged EU governments to support technology transfer and localization.
Strategic partnership
For her part, von der Leyen said the EU and Egypt are entering “a new phase” of strategic partnership, announcing that the European Commission will soon sign new agreements with Cairo.
Addressing more than 300 Egyptian and European business representatives, she said, “The scene before me is inspiring — your presence reflects a simple truth; our societies recognize the emergence of new opportunities as Egypt and Europe draw closer than ever before.”
“Egypt exports to Europe three times as much as it does to the United States, India, and China combined,” she added
Von der Leyen announced a 5 billion euro assistance package to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Egypt, as well as Egypt’s association with Horizon Europe, the EU’s 95.5 billion euro research and innovation program running from 2021 to 2027.
“Horizon Europe is the world’s most renowned research and innovation program,” she said. “Now Egypt’s researchers and talents can benefit from it too — this is a big step forward in our relationship.”
She also highlighted the Pact for the Mediterranean, a framework designed to deepen economic integration between the EU and its southern neighbours.
“The pact includes many initiatives that could attract new investment to Egypt,” she said, pointing to the T-MET investment platform focused on renewable energy and clean technology. “Startups from Egypt can now train and test their models on European AI factories and use the full computational power to improve their models.”
According to the Egyptian presidency, the summit was attended by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Planning and Economic Development Minister Rania Al-Mashat, and Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Hassan El-Khatib, as well as representatives of more than 160 Egyptian and European companies and 15 international financial institutions.
The Egypt-EU summit will convene every two years, alternating between Cairo and Brussels, to expand political and economic cooperation and strengthen regional stability.
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