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.
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