Egypt, Meloni in Cairo for “historic agreement”. Change of EU step on migrants –

Seven billion and 400 million euros. It is the plan that Europe puts on Egypt’s table, with an aid plan between now and 2027. The Old Continent comes to Cairo’s rescue, before it the United Arab Emirates, the IMF and the World Bank, thus avoiding the worst for a country which, more than ever, represents a fundamental barrier to contain the crisis in the Middle East, but risks big with the Egyptian pound which has lost half its value compared to the American dollar and the revenues from the canal of Suez severely tested by Houthi attacks. The president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen, the prime minister Giorgia Meloni, the current president, arrive in Cairo to sign the agreement that will act as a driving force for the strategic partnership between Egypt and Europe. of the EU Council and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and the Cypriot President, Nikos Christodoulidīs. Meloni, who also sees the mission to Cairo as an opportunity to push the accelerator on the Mattei Plan, claims the teamwork carried out in recent months and the role of Italy of which she says she is “proud”, attributing to her government the change of pace that the EU has given to the European strategy on migrants. Because in the agreement signed in Cairo there is also room for emergency flows, to which 200 million euros of the entire aid package are allocated. Al-Sisi also places the dossier of irregular immigration among “common challenges”, explaining that in the summit with the EU we discussed “how to strengthen the paths and routes of legal migration and how to intensify efforts to put an end to illegal flows”. Von Der Leyen speaks of an “excellent collaboration”, explaining that the EU is counting on “Egypt’s full dedication to the control of illegal immigration and border management”. It is also for this reason that the Prime Minister sees in the Cairo agreement an agreement that she does not hesitate to define as “historic”, despite having brought storms within and outside national borders. Because if it is true that the opposition has climbed onto the barricades pointing the finger at the relationship with al-Sisi, it is equally true that even in Brussels and Strasbourg there is vitriolic criticism for an agreement that brings money in a country where human rights are too often forgotten. The issue risks being even more thorny for Rome, which tomorrow sees the Regeni trial finally open: in the dock are the 4 Egyptian secret agents accused of killing and torturing the Friulian researcher. The opposition was loudly demanding that the prime minister put the issue to al-Sisi, but this does not seem to have happened, at least according to the Egyptian presidency’s reports on the bilateral negotiations between the two, in which there is no trace of it. Reached by reporters, Meloni glosses over the issue, while underlining the need to move forward in the search for “truth and justice” after 8 years of silence and cover-ups.

“Italy tends to always raise the question” of the murder of Giulio Regeni, she tells reporters who ask her about the meeting with al-Sisi. «Then there is a process underway in Italy» and «the work we are doing» with Egypt «does not change our position. After that, let’s see… For us it is important that the process continues and we will continue to try to obtain something more, but what we must do is move forward on the front of truth and justice.” However, this does not alter the fact that relations with Egypt appear to be indispensable for Italy and Europe today, as Cairo is considered a “reliable partner – we read in the joint EU-Egypt declaration – pillar of security , moderation and peace in the Mediterranean, Near East and Africa region.” Also weighing in the balance is the role of al-Sisi’s country in the Middle Eastern powder keg – «the situation in Gaza is at the top of our concerns», explains the prime minister at the end of the summit -, with the conflict in Sudan complicating the the whole picture. This is why Meloni goes straight down her path. The opposition’s criticisms seem to slip away from her. «I read the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein who says that it is a shame that half of Europe comes to Egypt to stop irregular immigration. I understand that it’s shameful for them, but if I had wanted to set up the Democratic Party’s program I would have run with the Democratic Party – it stings – but instead I ran against the Democratic Party precisely because I don’t agree with them.”

Even the agreement with Tunisia, signed in July last year with Von der Leyen at her side, “is working” for her, and peace for those who claim the opposite. «I think that what we are doing is very precious – he claims – and I think that Italy’s role is extremely precious, because Italy on this new model of cooperation with Africa, and on this new model to address the root the issue of irregular migratory flows has set a precedent. It seems to me that even the opposition recognizes this in insulting us, but they recognize that today, for better or worse, Europe has changed pace. And so I am proud of this because it was what I wanted to do, it shows that when you present yourself with sustainable, pragmatic, serious positions, it is possible that others will listen.” Schlein’s scathing response was immediate. «After having flaunted the slogan of the ‘naval blockade’ during the electoral campaign – thunders the Democratic secretary – Giorgia Meloni was unable to demand solidarity on the welcome even from her nationalist allies like Orban, but she started promising unjust and unsuccessful agreements like the one with Tunisia and Albania, and today she ended up in Egypt promising resources to the Al-Sisi regime to stop the departures, in a country that is not safe either for the Egyptians or for everyone else, given that the government Egyptian has no respect for human rights.” «Giorgia Meloni – continues the leader of the Democrats – flatters us when she says that she doesn’t think like the Democratic Party, because we don’t make fun of people and we wouldn’t make agreements with regimes like the Egyptian one, which has been covering up the murderers for years by Giulio Regeni”. «The European Union was born to tear down walls, not to build others. Respect for human rights cannot be sold off for the security obsessions of governments”, comments Schlein. And it is only the appetizer of a much more delicious menu, the first round of a match that will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday in Parliament, when Meloni will be in the Chamber – first in the hemicycle of the Senate and then of the Chamber – to give his communications ahead of the European Council. It is there that she intends to loudly vindicate the choices made and Italy’s weight in the EU: “we will have to bring popcorn…” jokes one of the ministers closest to the prime minister. Thanks to the scorching climate of the perpetual electoral campaign, it is difficult to blame him.