Egypt, France boost ties with strategic partnership agreements

Updated 4/8/2025 7:56:00 AM

Arab Finance: Egypt and France have signed a strategic partnership agreement during French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to Cairo, marking a new phase in bilateral relations centered on economic, political, and development cooperation.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Macron, alongside a series of investment and development deals in multiple sectors.

Macron confirmed his country’s ongoing support for the dialogue between Egypt, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Commission, aiming to reinforce macroeconomic stability and support reform implementation.

France pledged over €260 million in grants and loans through the French Development Agency (AFD) to finance projects in energy, transportation, water, and sanitation.

Macron also reaffirmed France’s commitment to Egypt’s Vision 2030 by encouraging French and European investments across strategic sectors.

Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat revealed CNBC Arabia that more than €250 million worth of agreements were signed with the French side, covering renewable energy, water treatment, and other priority areas.

Both countries agreed to expand cooperation in technical and vocational training and to support mutual nominations in international organizations.

On the issue of migration, El-Sisi noted that Egypt hosts over nine million refugees and highlighted the importance of continued support from France.

He praised France’s contribution to the European Parliament’s decision to disburse the second tranche of the €4 billion EU financial package to Egypt.

The Egyptian and French ministers signed 12 agreements, including a deal between Alstom and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) to establish an industrial complex in Egypt.

Another cooperation agreement was signed to develop a green ammonia production project in the Red Sea, involving EDF Renewable Energy, ZeroWest, the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), and the Red Sea Ports Authority.

An agreement was also reached with the Borg El Arab Dry Port to establish an industrial complex, in addition to a cooperation agreement to construct the Al-Rubiki–10th of Ramadan–Belbeis railway line through loan and grant mechanisms.

Yahya Al-Wathiq Billah, head of the Egyptian Commercial Representation Authority said that Egypt plans to raise its trade volume with France by 25% year-on-year to reach $3.5 billion in 2025, compared to $2.8 billion in 2024.

In 2024, trade between the two countries amounted to $3.2 billion, with Egyptian exports valued at $1.25 billion and imports from France at $1.93 billion. The peak in bilateral trade was recorded in 2022 at approximately $4.7 billion.