PRESIDENT Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met with a number of Arab and European leaders on the sidelines of the two-day Arab League-European Union summit held 24-25 February in Sharm El-Sheikh, reports Reem Leila. The meetings covered issues of mutual interest, economic cooperation and peace and stability. Arab and EU leaders expressed their interest in capitalising on Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union to pursue development, peace and security efforts. Al-Sisi met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The two leaders discussed the investigation into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni and ways to enhance economic relations and trade and investment between the two countries, particularly the opportunities offered by national projects such as the Suez Canal Development Area and investment possibilities in the energy, higher education, scientific research and agricultural sectors. President Al-Sisi received Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz. The two leaders focused on ways to bolster bilateral relations at the economic and investment levels and reviewed opportunities to establish more joint projects. They agreed on the importance of fostering closer Egyptian-Saudi cooperation and coordination to protect Arab national security and counter external interference in the sovereign affairs of the region's countries and attempts to sow division between them. Al-Sisi reiterated Egypt's position that Gulf security is integral to Egypt's national security. Al-Sisi met with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades who told the press that Egypt's president had underlined continued interest in developing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector and coordination to protect the sovereign rights of each country. Al-Sisi with Tusk Anastasiades said Cyprus could become a centre for regional cooperation at a time when the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East are facing the growing impacts of climate change. In the meeting between Al-Sisi and President of European Council Donald Tusk Egyptian-European ties on the political, economic and developmental levels were discussed. Both leaders stressed the significance of Egyptian-European coordination on the peace process in the Middle East and the situation in Libya, the Syrian crisis and Yemen. During the meeting Tusk praised Egypt's efforts to combat illegal migration. “It is essential to adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses the roots of this phenomenon, and to abort attempts by some international parties to back and finance terrorist organisations,” stressed Al-Sisi. Al-Sisi also briefed participants on Egypt's priorities in Africa, including post-conflict reconstruction and socio-economic development. “Egypt can take part in relevant projects, particularly in countries producing great numbers of illegal migrants, capitalising on the experience and expertise it possesses in this regard,” he said. President Al-Sisi also held meetings with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri, President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, Iraqi President Barham Saleh, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the presidents of Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco and Somalia. The first Arab League-EU summit was attended by 24 leaders from European states, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, British Prime Minister Theresa May and the leaders of 21 Arab countries.
