France formally backed Egypt’s inclusion in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the two nations agreed to finalise a bilateral migration agreement in the coming weeks, officials announced following the inaugural French-Egyptian strategic dialogue on Monday.
The talks in Cairo were led by Mohamed Abou Bakr, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates for African Affairs, and Martin Briens, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Officials welcomed the exceptional quality of bilateral ties, noting the dialogue implements a decision to elevate relations to a strategic partnership made during the French President’s official visit to Egypt on April 7 and 8, 2025.
A key outcome of the dialogue was the advancement of a bilateral migration framework. Following a third session of negotiations held in Paris on April 8 and 9, 2026, the two sides agreed to reach an agreement in the weeks ahead covering returns, readmissions, legal mobility, and vocational training.
Financial co-operation was heavily featured as officials discussed the implementation of the 2026-2030 Intergovernmental Agreement on Financial Cooperation. The Egyptian delegation reiterated its prioritisation of budget support programmes to enhance macroeconomic stability and efficiently allocate resources toward national development objectives.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Egypt, officials highlighted EUR 262.2m across nine financing agreements signed during the French President’s 2025 visit for transport, energy, and housing projects. Egypt also expressed appreciation for France’s contribution to the Universal Health Insurance Program, comprising a EUR 150m loan and a EUR 2m grant.
On green development, the two sides noted ongoing co-operation through the EUR 45m Green Sustainable Industry (GSI) Project. A simplified agreement was signed in October 2025, and procedures for a Credit Facility Agreement are currently being finalised.
Regarding transport, officials welcomed momentum from a February 9 and 10 visit to Cairo by a delegation from the French Ministry for the Economy and Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty to advance the construction of Cairo’s metro line 6. The project stems from a 2021 roadmap that was reaffirmed in 2025.
Reviewing multilateral issues, the French Secretary-General affirmed Paris’s support for incorporating Egypt into the IMEC initiative. The officials stressed the need for co-ordination in forums including the G7, G20, and BRICS to reduce global inequalities and promote development finance reform. They reaffirmed support for the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), the IPCC, and the IPBES. Discussions also encompassed climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, ocean protection, global health, artificial intelligence, and human rights.
On regional crisis management, the officials reaffirmed commitments to achieving a lasting peace regarding the question of Palestine in accordance with the two-state solution. Discussions covered water issues and the ongoing situations in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa, alongside calls for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. They welcomed bilateral consultations on regional and African issues held in Cairo on March 26, 2026, and agreed to build upon the upcoming Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, scheduled for May 11 to 12, 2026.
In the cultural sector, the parties validated the principle of a France-Egypt road map for heritage co-operation to develop professional dialogue and expertise sharing. They announced the upcoming inauguration of the library at the Grand Egyptian Museum, developed with French support, and recognised the importance of co-operation in artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and start-ups within the creative economy and translation.
Highlighting educational ties, the dialogue outlined plans to open new bilingual Francophone state schools and welcomed the launch of the second phase of the TrèFLE project, which supports teaching French as a second language in state schools. The parties stressed integrating technical and vocational training in growth sectors such as the railway and automotive industries, ecological transition, agriculture, and tourism, alongside the twinning of schools and the exchange of expertise in training managers and teachers.
Building on the Assises Franco-Égyptiennes de la Coopération Scientifique et Universitaire, officials noted the success of the French-Egyptian Day of Scientific and Academic Cooperation held in France on February 5, 2026, which drew more than 150 participants. New French university programmes will open in Egypt in the coming months, and progress continues on the overhaul of the Université Française d’Égypte, which will complete the first buildings of its new campus by the start of the next academic year. Additionally, the President of the French Republic will undertake a new visit to Egypt to inaugurate the new campus of the Université Senghor.
The next session of the strategic dialogue is scheduled to take place in France during the first semester of 2027.
