File photo of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi receiving his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Cairo. Egyptian Presidency
The visit comes amid growing strategic ties between Cairo and Paris in recent years on all fronts and as part of Egypt and France's continued coordination on Middle Eastern and African affairs.
Macron’s agenda is expected to include expanded talks with President El-Sisi and discussions on regional developments, particularly the crises in the Middle East and the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The French president is also scheduled to tour several landmarks in Alexandria.
Macron's visit to Egypt is the first leg in an African tour that includes Kenya and Ethiopia.
Senghor University campus
During the visit, El-Sisi and Macron will inaugurate Senghor University's new campus. Egypt had allocated the land to support the institution's mission. Located in Borg El Arab in Alexandria, the campus spans 10 feddans. It includes two academic buildings, an administrative building, a conference hall, integrated services, and sports and residential facilities.
The project is expected to enhance the university’s capacity to host larger numbers of African students and expand its educational programmes.
The campus is considered a model of Egyptian–Francophone partnership. It was designed to meet the latest academic standards to become a hub for education, scientific research, and sustainability in Africa.
Established in 1990, Senghor University is a French-language international university that offers multidisciplinary, multi-thematic 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 specialized MA programmes and short courses on strengthening the development skills of executive specialists for Africa's development.
Named after former Senegalese president Léopold Sédar Senghor, the university hosts around 200 students, who are chosen after a selective competition involving more than 3,000 candidates from 25 countries. The university also offers 120 scholarships for candidates wishing to join its two-year Master's programme in development.
Egyptian-French relations
Macron’s upcoming visit reflects the strength of strategic relations between Egypt and France. The two countries share strong military, economic, and cultural ties. They also cooperate closely on several issues relevant to the Middle East and Africa.
The French president’s last official visit to Egypt took place in October 2025, when he attended the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit.
In April 2025, the Egyptian and French presidents signed a joint declaration elevating bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. They also signed other important agreements in the areas of economy, health, transportation, energy, and housing.
According to Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS), around 940 French companies are currently operating in the Egyptian market across multiple sectors.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre reported that trade exchange between Egypt and France reached a record $2.9 billion in 2024.
By the end of 2025, French investments in Egypt had climbed to nearly $8 billion, reflecting growing confidence in the Egyptian economy and strengthening economic ties between Cairo and Paris.
Short link: