Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty praised France's support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, welcoming the joint statement issued by the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, and Canada calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the West Bank, and for immediate humanitarian aid access to the enclave. He expressed hope for France and other European countries to move forward with recognising the State of Palestine as a key step toward Middle East peace. During his meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Africa–Europe ministerial meeting in Brussels, Abdel-Aty expressed Egypt's appreciation for the momentum in strategic relations between Egypt and France, particularly following French President Emmanuel Macron's historic visit to Egypt in April, during which bilateral ties were upgraded to a strategic level. Abdel-Aty affirmed Egypt's commitment to enhancing cooperation with France across political, economic, cultural, and educational fields, and deepening the partnership to serve mutual interests. He also stressed the importance of French private sector investment in Egypt and access to Egyptian markets, which would help strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries. Abdel-Aty welcomed France's support for Egypt within EU institutions, particularly regarding the European financial package to Egypt. He highlighted the economic impact of Middle East tensions on Egypt, including the effect on Red Sea maritime security, Suez Canal revenues, and the country's hosting of more than 9.5 million foreigners.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
