President El-Sisi's Speech at Informal Meeting of Regional and EU Leaders

Your Excellency Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus;

Your Excellency Mr. António Costa, President of the European Council;

Your Excellency Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government of Arab and European countries;

May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You.

I would like to commence by expressing my sincere appreciation to my dear friends, His Excellency President Christodoulides and Mr. Costa, for this kind invitation. I would also like to express my gratitude to the friendly European leaders for participating in this meeting, which is held at a critical time, as the Middle East is being engulfed in crises and conflicts that threaten the hopes of its peoples for stability and development for years.

Our meeting today embodies a profound understanding of the shared destiny of the two shores of the Mediterranean. The crises our region is facing do not stop at its borders. Their repercussions extend to affect everyone, at the forefront the European continent, which is the most affected by these developments.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Iranian crisis has cast a dark shadow

over the entire international scene, ensuing in serious repercussions for regional stability, maritime navigation, and the global economy-

particularly energy and food security, prices, and disruptions to supply chains- as well as the potential threat of nuclear contamination, which would be a catastrophe.

Egypt has exerted, and continues to exert, assiduous efforts to contain the conflict and prevent its escalation, especially in light of the reprehensible Iranian attacks – which are unacceptable under any circumstances – that have targeted the Arab Gulf states, Jordan and Iraq. We reiterate our complete condemnation and rejection of these attacks, as well as rejection of threats to the security of Arab states.

I must also emphasize our full support for the security of Arab countries, as it is an integral to Egypt’s national security.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The pillars upon which Egypt’s position rests are clear; foremost among them is the affirmation that the political track remains the only acceptable way out of the current situation and to achieve sustainable stability.

Egypt reinforces the necessity of full adherence to freedom of navigation and the importance of securing international waterways, as this is a firmly established and stable principle of international law.

Egypt affirms that recent developments have proven beyond any doubt that settling disputes peacefully has become a necessity, not an option. Furthermore, it underscores the necessity of establishing a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the entire Middle East and the comprehensive and non-selective implementation of the nuclear non-proliferation regime in the region.

The Palestinian issue remains the core crisis in the region, and it is a central issue for the Arab world and the Middle East.

I emphasize the importance of not allowing any party to exploit the regional situation and take actions that undermine the prospects for peace and coexistence between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples on the basis of a two-state solution.

As the highly volatile situation continues in the occupied Palestinian territories, whether in the West Bank, East Jerusalem or the Gaza Strip, I would like to present a number of fundamental facts:

First: The necessity of the Palestinian people to remain in their land and the need for concerted efforts to stop the policy of settlement and to prevent any attempts to displace them or liquidate the Palestinian cause.

Second: The importance of the Palestinian National Committee to assume its responsibilities in running Gaza and to expedite the deployment of an international stabilization force to ensure the monitoring of the ceasefire.

Third: The need for Israel to fulfil its obligations under the first phase and the commitment of all parties to move ahead with the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Fourth: The immediate commencement of early recovery and reconstruction projects throughout the Gaza Strip to ensure the return of normal life for the Palestinian people.

Therefore, I urge the European Union and its member states to continue supporting the Palestinian cause and to ensure that this issue retains its priority. There is no alternative to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the two-state solution, which has been agreed upon by the international community as the only way to achieve lasting peace in the region.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Achieving stability in Lebanon is a top priority for Egypt. We emphasize the importance of adhering to the recently reached ceasefire and the need for concerted efforts from all partners to prevent a renewed escalation.

I also reaffirm our full support for the efforts of the Lebanese state and its institutions. We stress the need for the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in supporting Lebanese national institutions to play their pivotal role and push for an end to the Israeli occupation and aggression.

I would also like to reiterate our firm position in support of the sovereignty and unity of Sudan, and the importance of supporting its national institutions, while rejecting any attempt to equate them with parallel entities.

Therefore, Egypt seeks to engage with all efforts with the aim of restoring stability in Sudan and expediting a humanitarian truce.

We look forward to the European Union sustaining its supportive role, in a manner that complements our own efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Egyptian-European relations are deeply rooted in a long history of fruitful cooperation. These relations were elevated to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024, culminating in the first summit in October 2025, reflecting a mutual understanding of the importance of cooperation in achieving common interests and enhancing regional stability.

I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to advancing this partnership to serve the interests of both parties, particularly in priority areas, as reflected in the three pillars of the Pact for the Mediterranean, whose first action plan was recently adopted, concerning people, economies and stability and sustainability, and security and migration management.

With regard to the first pillar, Egypt believes that human capital is the foundation of sustainable development. Hence, joint investment in education, scientific research, and technology transfer contributes to the development process that Egypt is implementing, enabling it to become an industrial hub for the European Union. This also improves youth employability, which reduces waves of illegal migration by creating local job opportunities.

With regard to the second pillar, Egypt is working towards integration into European and global value chains, through industrial development and the commencement of exporting high value-added products. The experience of past years has proven that Egypt has been a reliable partner for the European Union, in line with the Union's policy of diversifying supply chains.

With regard to the third pillar, Egypt has fulfilled its responsibility in combating illegal migration. This has been appreciated by various partners. Egypt also hosts approximately 10 million migrants who were forced to leave their homelands due to harsh circumstances, receiving only limited external financial support.

While fully aware of the importance of the migration issue to the European side, we look forward to an integrated partnership on this issue, including support for job opportunities, development and capacity building, and providing pathways for regular migration and mobility for study and work so that the root causes of migration are addressed through a shared development agenda.

Distinguished guests,

What happens in Europe resonates in our region, and the reverse is equally true.

Let us agree that the crises we have recently witnessed reveal, beyond any doubt, a pressing need for dialogue, concerted efforts, cooperation, and support among partners to forge common understandings that will help prevent the recurrence of such conflicts.

It has thus become clear that any party's isolation is not the path to stability. The right path lies in engaging in dialogue with all partners, confronting problems with courage, sharing burdens and responsibilities, and formulating shared ideas and visions aimed at achieving the best for our peoples and future generations.

Thank you.