Egypt
The conflict in Gaza has now spiraled to a point where regional diplomacy is unable to reverse it. Consequently, Egypt is focusing on partnerships outside the Middle East, driven by Al-Sisi's pragmatic vision and an improved economic situation compared to the previous year. Cairo seeks to leverage these new alliances to bolster its position on the international stage, fully aware of both the challenges and benefits involved.
During the BRICS meeting in New York, held alongside the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Egypt declined to sign the joint document addressing issues such as the Middle East conflict, the expansion of the bloc, and proposals for a common currency. Conceived as a show of unity among BRICS members in preparation for the Kazan summit, this meeting instead highlighted the divergences among members, especially between Egypt and Ethiopia. The decision of these two countries not to sign the document reflects tensions over Nile water management and certain opposition to the positions of Brazil, India, and South Africa, which seek support from new members for their aspirations to join the Security Council. In contrast, Egypt is aiming to represent Africa within the UN, and this discord led Brazilian Foreign Minister Vieira, who presided over the meeting, to postpone it.
While Egypt's partnership with BRICS still shows limitations in fulfilling Cairo’s aspirations, its relationship with the United Arab Emirates appears increasingly solid. The recent visit of UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed to Cairo highlights Egypt's appreciation for Emirati support in managing the currency crisis affecting the country. Together with Al-Sisi, the Emirati leader attended the inauguration of the Ras El Hekma construction site, where a luxury resort funded by Abu Dhabi is set to be built, under a 30-year concession worth $35 billion. Despite the official photo opportunities, no statement was released following the meeting between Al-Sisi and Bin Zayed, signaling the sensitive nature of the topics discussed, including the crisis in Sudan, where Egypt supports Al-Burhan’s army, while the UAE is accused of backing the RSF.
With the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the confrontation between Tel Aviv and Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Cairo. Following the meeting, Al-Sisi’s office stated that the two leaders discussed the "need to halt regional escalation" and the intensification of efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Relations between Egypt and Iran have seen a slow improvement in recent years, but Iran’s hopes for a détente with Egypt or the Arab world more broadly remain unfulfilled. Al-Sisi continues to view Iran's maneuvers in the Levant with suspicion, perceiving them as destabilizing as the Israeli offensive. Additionally, investments by Gulf countries in the Egyptian economy establish clear priorities for Cairo’s diplomatic relations, suggesting that a rapprochement with Iran might be sacrificed in favor of ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Lastly, the month concludes with rising tensions between Egypt and Russia due to delays in grain supplies. Following the BRICS summit in Kazan, Al-Sisi had to acknowledge a new delay in the record delivery of 430,000 tons of grain agreed upon last spring. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture did not comment on the delay, while the Russian Farmers Union attributed it to bureaucratic inefficiencies and misunderstandings with partners. This second delay within a year underscores Egypt’s need to diversify its grain suppliers. Options under consideration include purchasing from Kazakhstan, with Emirati financial backing, or partially restoring supplies from Ukraine, whose Foreign Minister Sybiha visited Egypt just as news of the latest delays emerged.
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| Head of state | Abdel Fattah al-Sisi |
| Head of Government | Mostafa Madbouly |
| Institutional Form | Semi-presidential Republic |
| Capital | Cairo |
| Legislative Power | Unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab, 596 members). With the 2019 constitutional amendments to the 2014 Constitution, the second House of Parliament arose again as the “Senate” (180 members) |
| Judicial Power | Supreme Constitutional Court (one President and 10 judges); Court of Cassation (more than 450 judges organised in other courts, each of which is composed of panels of at least 5 jurists judges) |
| Ambassador to Italy | Bassam Essam Rady Abdelhamid Rady |
| Total Area kmq | 1.001.450 km2 |
| Land | 995.450 km2 |
| Weather | Desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters |
| Natural resources | Oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earths, zinc |
| Economic summary | The country is divided by the fertile Nile Valley, where most economic activity takes place. However, the unemployment and high inflation limit the economic growth of Egypt. The most important economic resource is the agriculture, which employs about 23% of the working population. Despite efforts at economic diversification, Egypt continues to depend on the Suez Canal for much of its foreign income |
| GDP | € 300.8 billion (2023) |
| Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $4086 (Dec. 2021) |
| Exports | € 32.6 billion (2023) |
| Export partner | UAE 9.57%, Saudi Arabia 6.21%, Türkiye 5.85%, Italy 5.82%, India 4.38% (2020) |
| Imports | € 63.6 billion (2023) |
| Import partner | China 17.4%, Russia 6.72%, UAE 4.83%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, Türkiye 4.34%, Italy 3.9% (2020) |
| Trade With Italy | € 5.960 billion (2023) |
| Population | 107.770.524 (2022 est.) |
| Population Growth | +1,68% (2022 est.) |
| Ethnicities | Egyptians 95%, others 5% |
| Languages | Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by the educated classes |
| Religions | Muslims (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christians (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Apostolic Armenians, Catholics, Maronites, Orthodox and Anglicans) 10% |
| Urbanization | 43% |
| Literacy | 71.2% |
Independent since 1922, Egypt is a North African country overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It borders with the Gaza Strip to the north, Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. The population is estimated to be 107 million and the official language is Arabic.
Egypt has always enjoyed a strategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia. The country lies between the Mediterranean Sea, which provides a route to Europe and North America, and – thanks to the Suez Canal – the Red Sea, which continues on to the Indian Ocean. Today, this makes Egypt one of the most important international trade hotspots in the world. Additionally, the great availability of natural resources, recently strengthened by the discovery of the Zohr offshore gas fields, makes Egypt a key country within the geopolitical dynamics of the Near East and North Africa.
In 2021, the trade between Rome and Cairo reached $ 6,11 billion. Overall, in 2021 Italy has been Egypt’s first trading european partner.
