President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, referred to the close cooperation between Cyprus and Egypt during his meeting today at the Presidential Palace with the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, Karim Badawi, who is in Nicosia representing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi at the opening ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Welcoming the Egyptian Minister, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that “one of our main priorities during our Presidency is to bring the European Union closer to the region, closer to Egypt.”
“Egypt is a strategic partner of the EU,” the President continued, noting that it is also a pillar of stability in a region that faces many challenges but also has many opportunities ahead of it, presented by the cooperation between Cyprus and Egypt.
He added that energy is a key issue on his agenda and noted that on Thursday he will have a meeting with a senior ENI executive.
He also stressed the importance of exploiting the “Kronos” deposit and that there should be coordination so that developments can take place as soon as possible.
In a post on X, President Christodoulides described the meeting as “particularly constructive.”
“During our Presidency, Cyprus will consistently advocate and underscore the need for a continued and strengthened EU engagement with Egypt, a key partner for regional stability. I look forward to close coordination in advancing our shared priorities,” he said.
For his part, the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum congratulated the President of the Republic on Cyprus’ assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, noting that the two countries are strategic partners.
He also expressed his belief that the Cyprus Presidency will have a tangible and meaningful impact at all levels.