Meloni with VDL to Cairo for Tunisia-like deal with Egypt

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 17 - Premier Giorgia Meloni is visiting Cairo with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday to sign a memorandum of understanding between the EU and Egypt along the lines of the agreement reached last year with Tunisia.
    Meloni was instrumental in bringing about the EU deal with Tunis for a strategic partnership featuring financial support and cooperation on combatting human traffickers, among other things, following a big increase in the number of migrants arriving in Italy from North Africa.
    The premier announced the upcoming agreement with Egypt at the first meeting Friday of the steering committee of her government's Mattei Plan to create a new partnership with African countries to address the root causes of irregular migration and turn Italy into a sort of hub for energy supplies from Africa to Europe as the continent tries to reduce its dependency on Russian oil and gas supplies after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
    "On Sunday I will be in Egypt with EU Commission President von der Leyen and some (other EU) prime ministers," Meloni said.
    "There is an initiative similar to the one we carried out in Tunisia - a memorandum of understanding with Egypt too.
    "Work is being done in parallel for bilateral cooperation, which will be made official on Sunday and concerns the Mattei Plan for cooperation in the fields of agriculture and training.
    "We will also sign a series of agreements in the health sector and in support of small-and-medium-sized enterprises and investment".
    Accompanying the two leaders will be Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo.
    During the visit the leaders will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi.
    "The trip takes place in the context of strengthening relations between Egypt and the European Union," said a European Commission spokesperson on Friday.
    Egypt, like Tunisia, is considered to be a key partner in efforts to stem irregular migration from north Africa to the bloc.
    Belgium currently holds the six-month duty presidency of the Council of the European Union. (ANSA).