President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi arrived in Italy on Monday, the first stop in a tour that will include visits to the Vatican and France. Al-Sisi is scheduled to hold closed talks with Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano, followed by a larger round of talks which will include the delegations of the two countries. Egyptian presidential spokesman Alaa Yousef said Italy is highly important for Egypt, specifically on the economic level, in a statement on the trip published by State Information Services (SIS). Yousef said: "Italy is Egypt's number one trade partner in the European Union." Al-Sisi is leading a delegation of ministers on this trip including the foreign, investment, supply and foreign trade ministers. Italy's Federica Mogherini currently holds the position of the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Egyptian president is set to have meetings with an array of Italian officials, including President of the Senate Pietro Grasso, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is also scheduled to hold closed talks with Al-Sisi. The talks will address developments in the Middle East and combating extremism, as well as the need for concerted international efforts to combat terrorism, the statement said. Al-Sisi will discuss parliamentary ties between the two countries with Grasso after Egypt elects the House of Representatives. The date for Egypt's parliamentary elections has yet to be set but they are expected to be held before the end of March 2015. After Italy, Al-Sisi will visit the Vatican where he is set to meet Pope Francis and Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. The statement said the trip to the Vatican reflects appreciation of the pope's position on openness to dialogue with Islam as well as his efforts to combat poverty and defend humanitarian causes, among other common goals that create room to "strengthen bi-lateral ties on the political and religious levels". On Tuesday, Al-Sisi will head to France and is set to hold talks with French counterpart François Hollande the next day. Before concluding the tour, Al-Sisi will meet with several top French officials including the speakers of both houses of parliament and French ministers of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius and of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian.
