Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced on Monday the launch in March of the first-ever security and defense dialogue between Egypt and the European Union (EU).
The announcement, made during a joint press conference with Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee, follows Saturday’s declaration by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Alongside EU representative Kaja Kallas, El-Sisi formalised the “expansion of the alliance beyond trade to include defense, scheduling this inaugural security and defense dialogue for March 2026,” according to local media reports.
Minister McEntee affirmed the European Union’s “commitment to cooperating with Egypt across all sectors, notably investment, education, and agriculture.”
Minister Abdelatty praised Ireland’s official recognition of the Palestinian State, describing it as essential support for the right to self-determination.
Building on this diplomatic engagement, Minister McEntee announced she would “visit the Rafah crossing on Tuesday to witness firsthand the efforts to deliver aid to Gaza.” The field visit aims to observe the facilities provided by the Egyptian side of the port and to address “hardline Israeli policies hindering humanitarian aid under the pretext of ‘dual-use’ goods.”
Abdelatty reiterated that the Rafah crossing must operate bilaterally to ensure the flow of aid and the medical evacuation of the wounded. He also highlighted a growing consensus regarding the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to manage Gaza.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister emphasized the urgency of moving to the second phase of the peace plan, which includes: International Stability Force: Deployment of a peacekeeping force to monitor ceasefire compliance, Palestinian Rights: A firm stance that regional security is impossible without the realisation of full rights for the Palestinian people, no displacement: total rejection of any plans for the forced or voluntary displacement of the population.
The two top diplomats reaffirmed their shared resolve to elevate economic relations. Minister McEntee noted that “Egypt offers enormous growth opportunities across numerous sectors.”
Discussions also focused on doubling bilateral trade volumes and increasing Egyptian exports to Ireland.
Both parties agreed to promote Irish tourism in Egypt and diversify destinations for Irish travelers, cementing a mutual commitment to “develop and deepen” this strategic partnership.
AK/sf/lb/as/APA