EU and Egypt meet to discuss economy, migration and Gaza - assalamu alaikum
Assalamu alaikum - Egypt and the European Union are meeting in Brussels for their first bilateral summit to talk about security, trade, migration and the situation in Gaza. Leaders including President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and EU officials are expected to announce increased European economic support for Egypt and Egypt’s entry into the EU’s Horizons research incubation program.
The talks come as the EU looks to strengthen trade and security ties across the Mediterranean amid global tensions and shifting trade rules. Part of the plan is a Pact for the Mediterranean aimed at closer cooperation with countries from Morocco to Turkiye, with aid offered in return for efforts to manage migration toward Europe.
Egypt is dealing with high inflation and instability linked to the nearby conflict in Gaza. El-Sisi recently called for a two-state solution and said Palestinians deserve an independent state. The EU is already Egypt’s biggest trading partner and had earlier offered a large aid package in loans and investments to help the cash-strapped economy recover from austerity, the pandemic, the fallout from the Ukraine war, and the recent Israel–Hamas conflict.
Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have cut Suez Canal income by diverting traffic, which adds pressure on Egypt’s foreign currency reserves. Migration is a shared concern: arrivals to Europe over the last decade have influenced politics and led to tighter border controls, while Egypt itself hosts many migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa. Egypt says around 9 million migrants live there, including roughly 900,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers.
Human rights groups urge the EU to press for more help for Gaza and to raise concerns about arbitrary detentions and unfair trials in Egypt. During the visit, El-Sisi is also expected to meet King Philippe of Belgium.
May Allah bring justice, security, and relief to those suffering in the region. Wa alaikum assalam.
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