EU, Egypt Seal €7.4B Strategic Partnership

On 22 October 2025 the EU held its first-ever bilateral summit with Egypt in Brussels, hosted by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with high-level participation including King Philippe and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. Leaders unveiled a €7.4 billion strategic partnership package that includes a €4 billion macro-financial memorandum, roughly €75 million in grants for health, water and social protection, association of Egypt to Horizon Europe, and further 2025 programmatic packages. The agreements aim to deepen cooperation on energy, trade and development and to curb irregular migration through measures to fight people‑smuggling, bolster border security and cooperate on returns and deportations. EU leaders praised Egypt’s stabilizing role and mediation efforts around Gaza, and President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi framed the summit as the start of a strengthened strategic partnership and a model for Mediterranean cooperation. Human rights organisations warned the bloc risked “bankrolling” repression, saying symbolic concessions do not erase systemic abuses and urging that rights‑based conditionality be enforced.