The European Union joined the efforts of the international community this Sunday to stabilize Egypt with the signing of a new agreement worth 7.4 billion euros. Its interest goes beyond the urgency of providing a financial lifeline to the most populous country in the region, the agreement has an additional fundamental objective: stopping irregular immigration. The initiative is in line with the pacts signed with countries such as Turkey and Tunisia, and has been received as a disgrace by human rights organizations, which accuse the EU of “rewarding” and becoming complicit in the abuses of President Abdel Fattah’s government. Al Sisi.
Egypt is currently facing a serious economic crisis stemming from its high debt and the decline in trade in the Suez Canal and tourism as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The International Monetary Fund has just granted it a loan of 8 billion dollars and the United Arab Emirates has announced an investment plan in the country valued at 35 billion dollars. The war in Gaza – and the implicit risk of the massive arrival of Palestinians if Israel carries out its offensive on Rafah – has only intensified the urgency to close the pact signed by the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, and Al Sisi.
The agreement raises the bilateral relationship between the EU and Egypt to the level of a strategic partnership, a political will backed by 5 billion euros in loans, 1.8 billion for investments, 400 million destined to support large bilateral projects and, finally, 200 million for measures against irregular immigration and support for return policies. This association reflects the “critical” nature of the relationship between Egypt and the EU, which will only “increase” given the economic and political weight of the country and its strategic situation, declared Von der Leyen after the signing, who assured that the The first objective of the agreement is the promotion of democracy, as well as how to support economic opportunities and enhance its role as an energy power in the hydrogen sector, as well as increase its participation in European education and research programs.
The presence of six European leaders this Sunday in Cairo “demonstrates how much we value our collaboration with Egypt,” highlighted the President of the Commission. The list of leaders who accompanied her, all conservative or liberal, did not stop growing until the eve of the event, which reflects not only the relevance of the bilateral relationship with Egypt but the desire of some governments to be active in the face of the migration phenomenon. main issue of the next European elections in some of these countries.
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, defined the agreement with Egypt in different terms. “It reaffirms the right of citizens of the African continent not to emigrate to Europe, something that can only be done through development,” said the leader of the Brothers of Italy, who claimed her role in the implementation of these agreements. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted Egypt’s role in controlling immigration and welcoming displaced people, especially in “these turbulent times” and assured that the agreement “will make it possible to stop irregular immigration.” His priority is to avoid the “opening of new routes,” he said. Although Cairo has kept departures from its coasts at bay since 2016, migrants continue to launch into the Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia, and arrivals to the islands of Crete and Gavdos have increased in recent months.
“The fight against irregular immigration is our top priority, we must do everything possible to prevent it,” said Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who related the issue to both economic development and security and the fight against terrorism. For their part, the president of Cyprus, Níkos Christodoulídis, and the prime minister of Belgium, Alexander de Croo, advocated attacking the causes of immigration and placed special emphasis on denouncing the situation in Gaza.
“Gaza is facing a famine and we cannot accept it,” Von der Leyen added. “It is critical that a ceasefire agreement be reached quickly so that the hostages are released and more humanitarian aid enters Gaza,” the German said alongside Sisi, using her strongest language to date. on the subject, in line with the declaration that the Twenty-Seven are currently negotiating ahead of Thursday’s summit. “There is a provisional verdict from the International Criminal Court that asks Israel to increase the arrival of humanitarian aid to the strip and, in practice, it is doing the opposite,” criticized De Croo.
