CAIRO – 23 October 2025: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the start of a new phase of cooperation between Egypt and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday as he participated in the economic event concurrent with the first EU-Egypt Summit.
The event was attended by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and on the Egyptian side by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdel-Atty, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Eng. Hassan El-Khatib.
During his speech, President Sisi invited all participants to visit Egypt and consider it a promising market, to see it up close and see the investment opportunities it offers.
Sisi said that this event represents a starting point and a new milestone in the partnership between Egypt and the European Union.
The Egyptian President revealed that during the summit's sessions, they discussed ideas for Egypt's integration into European integration chains. “Everything we discussed reflects the depth of relations between the two sides and our shared aspiration to advance it to broader horizons in the coming period,” Sisi said.
He explained that The Egyptian government has taken a package of measures as part of its economic reform program, resulting in Egypt's credit rating being raised by major international credit rating agencies. Brussels, following this major development in the relationship between the two sides, I am pleased to express my deep appreciation to Ms. von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who played a pivotal role in advancing this cooperation. In this context, I reiterate that we reciprocate this European commitment by working tirelessly to strengthen this strategic partnership on a practical and sustainable basis,” Sisi said in his speech.
Egypt’s President said that this economic event is not a recent development, but rather an extension of an escalating process that began in March 2024 with the announcement of the joint decision to elevate relations between Egypt and the European Union to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
“Today, we enter a new phase in the path of economic cooperation between Egypt and the European Union; a phase that requires a broader vision and greater ambition,” he added.
Sisi said that: “I am firmly convinced that Egypt today represents a real and tangible opportunity for the European business community, not just a partner that shares geographical proximity.”
And, Egypt will continue its efforts, in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, in its commitment to implementing the reform program and making progress in its development process.
Sisi noted that Egypt's strategic location allows European companies access to more than 1.5 billion consumers in Africa, the Arab region, and the European Union itself, thanks to a broad network of free trade agreements, the Egyptian-European Association Agreement, its prime location on water and land trade routes, and its advanced infrastructure.
He also said that Egypt offers a comprehensive package of incentives for investors, including tax exemptions, easy repatriation of profits, availability of low-cost, skilled labor, competitively priced energy, and political and institutional security and stability.
Sisi said that the Egyptian-European Investment Platform was launched as a practical tool to stimulate European investments in priority sectors and create opportunities for public-private partnerships.
“I affirm the Egyptian state's commitment to continuing dialogue with the European business community to understand its aspirations and overcome any challenges that may hinder its investments,” the Egyptian president said in his speech.
I invite you to look at Egypt not only as a promising consumer market, but also as a reliable production partner that can host European production lines that serve global and European markets efficiently and at competitive costs.
I assure you that your investments in Egypt will not only generate financial returns, but will also contribute to building a more balanced regional economy, support stability in the southern Mediterranean, and enhance the position of European companies in rapidly and continuously expanding markets, President Sisi added.
Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the event drew extensive attendance, with over 300 chairmen and representatives from more than 60 European companies participating, alongside 100 Egyptian companies and 15 international financial institutions. This is, in addition to representatives of economic bodies affiliated with the European Union member states.
Thu, Oct. 23, 2025
