STORY: Egyptian FM receives EU foreign policy chief
DATELINE: June 19, 2023
LENGTH: 0:01:26
LOCATION: Cairo
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs     
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): SAMEH SHOUKRY, Egyptian Foreign Minister
3. various of talks between Shoukry and Borrell
4. various of the bilateral meeting
5. various of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs   

STORYLINE:

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Sunday received Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting discussed common global and regional challenges such as migration, energy, counterterrorism and food security.

Borrell said that the bilateral relations with Egypt are of strategic importance for the European Union.

Borrell praised Egypt's hosting more than 200,000 Sudanese refugees "in very few days," pledging that the European Union will provide an immediate assistance of 20 million euros to help Cairo address this new wave of Sudanese refugees on its Southern border.

On his part, Shoukry said that Cairo has done its best to reach a solution that put an end to the Sudanese crisis.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic): SAMEH SHOUKRY, Egyptian Foreign Minister
"Egypt makes every effort to contain this crisis by focusing on ceasing aggressions and opening the door for coming back to dialogue. We are contacting different parties addressing the Sudanese crisis."

On migration, Borrell said the EU is allocating to Egypt about 80 million euros for border management, search and rescue and anti-smuggling operations.

They also exchanged views about the Middle East Peace Process, on Libya, Syria, the Horn of Africa, on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, promising to do everything to safeguard Cairo's interests.

Borrell's visit presents an opportunity to review and strengthen the partnership between the EU and Egypt.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cairo.
(XHTV)