Egypt and France inked a strategic partnership agreement that will focus on areas including railway industry localization, technical and vocational training, AI, cybersecurity, and green hydrogen, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (watch, runtime; 23:46). The announcement followed a meeting between El Sisi and Emmanuel Macron, who is in town for a three-day official visit that will wrap today after Macron visits wounded Gazans in a hospital and warehouses stocking aid for Gaza, according to Reuters.

France is also putting its money where its mouth is, as Macron stating that the French Development Agency will ink EUR 260 mn worth of loans and grants for Egypt to support projects in transport, health, water, and energy. Macron emphasised France’s commitment to ensure Egypt’s stability, especially in light of ongoing regional instability.

The two sides inked a long list of MoUs, including an MoU to establish 100 French schools, an MoU to establish and develop the Gustave Roussy center for cancer treatment in Cairo, and an MoU to continue cooperating on Cairo Metro Line 6 — for which an action plan was signed last December. They also signed a joint declaration to move forward with four investment projects, and cooperation agreements between both countries’ health and higher education ministries.

As for the private sector, local and French private players signed 12 agreements during the Egypt-France Business Forum attended by EnterpriseAM, covering healthcare, transport, water, and renewables.

Gaza also placed high on the agenda, with both leaders emphasizing their support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and moving forward with reconstruction without displacing the Palestinian people. They also discussed Syria and Lebanon, emphasizing the importance of preserving Syria’s unity and ending the Israeli occupation of Syrian territories, while voicing support for Lebanon’s new president and government.

The two were also joined by Jordan’s King Abdullah for a tripartite summit on Israel’s bombardment of the enclave, which also touched on Israel’s aggression in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to an Ittihadeya statement. The three affirmed their support for Egypt’s reconstruction plan already adopted by the Arab Summit and Organization of Islamic Cooperation and for the plan to be advanced at the upcoming June conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia and another to take place soon in Cairo.

Trump also made an appearance via telephone, joining the three leaders for a conversation on the sidelines of the summit, according to a separate Ittihadeya statement. Few details emerged from the call, except that Trump agreed to keep in close contact with the three leaders after they made their case for a ceasefire and full resumption of aid into Gaza.

News of Macron’s visit and the Gaza-focussed summit lit up television screens across the county last night, with almost all of the country’s talking heads giving their two cents on what the visit means for efforts to end the war in Gaza and Egypt’s relationship with France. Kelma Akhira’s Lamees El Hadidi had coverage (watch, runtime: 2:56, 6:52, 1:09:30), as did Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Assal (watch, runtime: 1:15, 1:39) and Ala Masouleety’s Ahmed Moussa (watch, runtime: 6:24).

Macron’s visit and the call Trump also caught the attention of the international press: Reuters | Reuters.

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