Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy, announced on Thursday 20 December that an investors' conference for Egypt will be held in the first half of 2019.
"We intend to organise an investment conference by the middle of next year to strengthen support and cooperation" on economic reforms and investment attraction, he announced at the end of the 8th EU-Egypt Association Council. Mr Hahn said such a conference was "one of the excellent examples of how the EU can really support [Egypt's] economic development, which can create more resilience in the country". According to the Commissioner, the EU, its Member States and European financial institutions are Egypt's biggest donors, with €11 billion.
In addition to economic support, Mr Hahn, as well as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukri, stressed the ”great importance” of the partnership between the EU and Egypt.
While relations between the EU and Egypt are currently being highlighted on migration issues, Ms Mogherini was keen to point out that cooperation goes far beyond that. “It's an important subject, but there are many other subjects”, she explained. In 2017, both parties agreed on their partnership priorities (see EUROPE 11836). They cooperate in areas such as energy, security, research and innovation, the economy, foreign policy, climate change, migration, but also human rights.
Egyptians and Europeans did discuss human rights and highlighted their concerns about the situation in Egypt and in the EU.
Asked by EUROPE about the European Parliament's call to put human rights at the heart of discussions on migration (see EUROPE 12159), Ms Mogherini stressed that “human rights are at the heart of the EU's work and there are no exceptions”. “Egypt has always been an important partner in managing migration flows orderly and legally and respectful of human rights”, she added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)