The European Union on Sunday, March 17 announced a €7.4 billion aid package for cash-strapped Egypt as concerns mount that economic pressure and conflicts in neighboring countries could drive more migrants to European shores.
The deal, which drew criticism from rights groups over Egypt’s human rights record, was signed Sunday afternoon in Cairo in a ceremony attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and leaders of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus and Greece. El-Sissi met separately with von der Leyen and other European leaders before the signing ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
The aid package includes both grants and loans over the next three years for the Arab world's most populous country, according to the EU's mission in Cairo. Most of the funds − €5 billion − are macro-financial assistance, according to a document from the EU mission in Egypt.
The mission said that the two sides have promoted their cooperation to the level of a "strategic and comprehensive partnership," paving the way for expanding Egypt-EU cooperation in various economic and non-economic areas.
El-Sissi's office said in a statement that the deal aims to achieve "a significant leap in cooperation and coordination between the two sides and to achieve common interests." Known as the Joint Declaration, it aims among other things to promote “democracy, fundamental freedoms, human rights, and gender equality,” according to the European Commission. Both sides will also deepen their cooperation to address challenges related to migration and terrorism.
The EU will provide assistance to Egypt’s government to fortify its borders, especially with Libya, a major transit point for migrants fleeing poverty and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East. The 27-nation bloc will also support the government in hosting Sudanese who have fled nearly a year of fighting between rival generals in their country. Egypt received more than 460,000 Sudanese since April last year.
The deal comes amid growing concerns that Israel's looming ground offensive on Gaza's southernmost town of Rafah could force hundreds of thousands of people to break into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. The Israel-Hamas war, now in its sixth month, has pushed more than 1 million people to Rafah.
The package drew criticism from international rights groups over Egypt’s human rights record. Amnesty International urged European leaders not to be complicit with human rights violations taking place in Egypt.
“EU leaders must ensure that the Egyptian authorities adopt clear benchmarks for human rights," said Eve Geddie, Amnesty International's head of the European institutions office. Geddie pointed to Egypt’s restrictions on media and freedom of expression and a crackdown on civil society.