The European Union and Egypt are set to hold their first-ever summit Wednesday in Brussels, with talks focusing on economic cooperation, migration management, and efforts to restore stability in Gaza.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. The summit is expected to conclude with announcements of new European financial support for Egypt and Cairo’s inclusion in the EU’s Horizon research program — a €175 billion ($202.7 billion) fund for scientific and technological innovation.
The meeting comes as the 27-member EU seeks to deepen partnerships across the Mediterranean amid global tensions driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s confrontational trade policies and export restrictions from China.
Under its broader “Pact for the Mediterranean,” the EU aims to enhance trade, security, and migration cooperation with countries from Morocco to Turkey — offering financial and technical assistance in return for stronger border control and efforts to curb irregular migration to Europe.
Egypt faces mounting economic challenges, including soaring inflation, a depreciating currency, and the fallout from the ongoing Gaza conflict next door.
Last week, el-Sissi described Trump’s latest Middle East peace proposal as the “last chance” for peace, reiterating his call for a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state.
The EU remains Egypt’s largest trading partner. A €7.4 billion ($8.6 billion) aid package announced last year — combining loans, investment, and migration-related support — provided crucial relief for Egypt’s cash-strapped economy. Years of austerity measures, the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and reduced Suez Canal revenues due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have all worsened Egypt’s financial crisis.
Migration remains a central issue for both sides. EU leaders have praised Egypt for preventing migrant boat launches since 2016, with el-Sissi arguing that “Europe hasn’t been significantly affected by illegal immigration” thanks to Cairo’s border efforts.
Human rights groups, however, have urged European leaders not to overlook Egypt’s internal repression. Amnesty International’s Eve Geddie called on von der Leyen and Costa to press el-Sissi to end “arbitrary detentions, unfair trials and harsh prison sentences of critics.”
Home to about 116 million people, Egypt hosts roughly 9 million migrants, including 900,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers, according to the U.N. refugee agency. While it serves as a departure point for some trying to reach Europe, it also remains a long-time haven for migrants fleeing violence and poverty across sub-Saharan Africa.
During his Brussels visit, President el-Sissi is also scheduled to meet Belgium’s King Philippe I.
The summit marks a significant step in EU-Egypt relations, as both sides look to strengthen economic cooperation while navigating the intertwined challenges of migration, regional conflict, and human rights.