Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa hailed during a meeting in Paris with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday Egypt's efforts to prevent illegal migration across its coasts and welcoming refugees, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said. Costa, whose country is currently chairing the Council of the European Union, praised Egypt for hosting millions of refugees and granting them full rights while not asking for support from the international community in return. El-Sisi in April told German newspaper Die Welt that Egypt is currently hosting six million refugees and has stopped illegal migration through its coasts to Europe since 2016. The president added that Egypt does not ask for anything in return from Europe and is not planning to exploit the issue politically or economically. El-Sisi is on an official visit to Paris to attend an international conference to support Sudan during its transitional period. He also held bilateral talks with Macron at the Elysee. During his meeting with El-Sisi, Costa affirmed Portugal's keenness to enhance cooperative and friendship relations with Egypt and to support Egyptian efforts in achieving comprehensive economic development, the statement read. El-Sisi hailed efforts made by Portugal, as the current president of the Council of the European Union, to support African causes. The president also praised the firm coordination between the two countries on regional and international issues of mutual concern. El-Sisi highlighted the importance of continuing and enhancing regular and periodical coordination mechanisms between the two countries. El-Sisi and Costa also discussed developments of the regional situation in light of the serious challenges facing the Middle East, the statement said. They agreed on continuing coordination in this regard. They also discussed enhancing bilateral relations in several fields, especially tourism and trade, added the statement.
