French President Emmanuel Macron was warmly welcomed in Cairo on Sunday evening, joining Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on a walk through the historic Khan El-Khalili district at the start of a three-day official visit to Egypt.
The two leaders strolled through Al-Hussein Square, pausing outside the revered Al-Hussein Mosque where crowds gathered to greet them. Surrounded by tight security, the presidents interacted with vendors and passersby at Khan El-Khalili, with video footage showing them smiling and exchanging brief conversations with locals.
During the walk, El-Sisi was overheard telling Macron how he grew up in the area at a time of great diversity and that there had been Jews living there as well.
The walk ended with a dinner at one of the area’s traditional restaurants, the famous Naguib Mahfouz restaurant.
On X after the tour, the French President posted a thank you message to El-Sisi and the Egyptian people for their warm welcome and said it was a vibrant tribute to the ‘friendship that unites Egypt and France’.
President Macron’s visit, made at the invitation of President El-Sisi, began earlier that evening with a private tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The French leader viewed sections of the museum that are already accessible to the public ahead of its highly anticipated official inauguration on 3 July.
Macron’s visit comes at a critical time, as regional tensions remain high due to the ongoing war in Gaza. On Monday, he is scheduled to take part in a high-level summit with President El-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss regional security and efforts to coordinate humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
This marks Macron’s fourth visit to Egypt since assuming office. He arrived accompanied by a senior delegation that includes several French ministers – spanning foreign affairs, defense, economy, health, and transport – as well as leading business executives and CEOs. The visit aims to bolster bilateral relations and deepen strategic cooperation between Cairo and Paris, particularly in light of Egypt’s growing ties with the European Union.
The French president was met with a symbolic military escort upon arrival, as Egyptian Air Force Rafale fighter jets accompanied his aircraft – underscoring the robust defense partnership between the two nations.
Formal talks between the two leaders are set to take place Monday morning, followed by the signing of a number of economic agreements. A joint press conference will be held shortly after.
On Tuesday, Macron will travel to Arish in North Sinai, where he is expected to visit humanitarian logistics centers and Arish General Hospital, which has been receiving injured Palestinians transferred from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. According to Egyptian officials, over 1,500 injured individuals and more than 2,100 companions have been treated in Egypt since the start of the conflict.
President Macron’s trip will conclude with a press conference in Arish, reflecting France’s continued engagement in the humanitarian and diplomatic response to the crisis.
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