Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Thursday discussed with his French counterpart a planned visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Cairo in the coming months. According to a statement from the Egyptian foreign ministry, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated during the meeting on the sidelines of a summit on UNRWA that Le Drian will visit Egypt soon to prepare for the French president's visit to the country. Shoukry and Le Drian also discussed recent developments in the region, especially in Libya, where the Egyptian foreign minister showcased Egyptian efforts to unify the Libyan army, as well Egypt's evaluation of the political process in the war-torn country. Shoukry also discussed with his French counterpart the results of Egypt's talks with different parties and powers in Libya in order to amend the political agreement there and to implement the plan of the UN special envoy Ghassan Salamé in order to reach elections. The two officials also discussed the situation in Syria where they expressed their increasing concerning about the developments in Eastern Ghouta and the ongoing Turkish military operation in Afrin and how they complicate the chances for a political settlement. Shoukry also discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with Le Drian, as well the Egyptian-European relations, and the results achieved by the military's Operation Sinai 2018.
