How do you spend your Sundays? Ursula von der Leyen is trying to save the world. On Sunday, March 17, the President of the European Commission, who is seeking a second term at the head of the institution, and five European heads of state and government were in Cairo to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi. For many long hours, they discussed the country's economic crisis and the fight against illegal immigration. Then they sat down to initial a strategic partnership. The bottom line? Over the next few years, Europe will invest €7.4 billion in Egypt.
To welcome von der Leyen in style, Al-Sissi made the surprising choice of wearing loafers. In the hierarchy of men's footwear, these shoes appear among the least formal and are, as such, often considered incompatible with the wearing of a suit. It remains to be seen what Donald Trump would think. In 2017, during a visit by the Egyptian president to the United States, Trump theatrically marveled at his pair of black lace-ups: "Love your shoes! Boy, those shoes. Man!"
Since we're talking shoes, we should note that von der Leyen is here shod in a pair of black bow pumps, referring us directly to Joséphine de Beauharnais. Why? Napoleon's wife from 1796 to 1809 was known for her absolute taste in fashion and her obsession with shoes. The owner, at the height of her powers, of nearly 500 pairs, the empress was particularly fond of bow pumps, which she made her signature and even her favorite means of stylistic expression.
Let's stay a little lower to the ground and talk about the imposing carpet on which all these people are sitting. This is a tribute to Egypt's historic, but somewhat forgotten, carpet-making expertise. In the 15th century, Egyptian carpets were renowned for their exceptional quality. Made using a specific local technique, these Mamluks were also distinguished by their colors, blue, red, ochre or green, as here, on the presidential carpet.
Behind our two Sunday heroes stand the European and Egyptian flags. The latter was introduced by Hosni Mubarak on his arrival in 1984. The ninth flag in the country's history, it is composed of three colors. Red represents the blood shed by the martyrs, while black refers to the country's monarchical past. Between the two? White and Saladin's eagle. The former represents the 1952 revolution, while the latter symbolizes the unity of the Arab world. The eagle can also be found on the flags of Iraq and Palestine.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.