Cairo: As Egypt’s ties with the West are warming up, President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi begins Monday visits to Italy and France, marking his first trip to Europe since he took office in June.
The four-day tour comes amid moves by the Egyptian leader to mend ties with the West that has frequently criticized Egypt’s rights record and its jailing of three journalists working for the Qatari TV network Al Jazeera.
Prior to the European trip, Al Sissi said he was considering a pardon to the journalists, including prominent Australian reporter Peter Greste. Their trial, culminating in imprisonment sentencing in June, triggered international outrage.
Earlier this month, Al Sissi, who temporarily holds legislative power, signed a decree granting him the right to deport foreigners accused or convicted of crimes in Egypt to their home countries, a step seen as clearing the way for him to release Al Jazeera journalists and other foreigners detained in Egypt.
Egypt’s relations with the West have been frosty since last year when the army, led at the time by Al Sissi, deposed Islamist president Mohammad Mursi following massive street protests against his one-year rule.
However, since his inauguration, Al Sissi has gone on a diplomatic charm offensive that has re-established Egypt as a regional powerhouse, according to observers.
“In the past five months, Al Sissi has made major breakthroughs at the level of foreign relations,” said Emad Jad, an analyst at the state-run Al Ahram Centre for Strategic Studies.
“In September, he met with his US counterpart Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly gathering. He also made a landmark visit to Russia and has been able to break the ice with the European Union.”
After months of strains in the wake of Mursi’s overthrow, the US recently announced releasing withheld military aid, including Apaches needed by Egypt for anti-terror operations in its restive Sinai.
“Al Sissi’s visits to Italy and France are highly significant, in view of the weight of both countries inside the European Union,” said Salah Al Hadi, a political expert.
“Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was the first senior Western official to visit Cairo in August, two months after Al Sissi assumed office. Moreover, Al Sissi conferred with French President Francis Hollande at the UN in September. Leaders in both countries are aware of Egypt’s important role in combating local and regional terrorism. For example, there are real international fears that Libya, a neighbour of Egypt, will turn into a stronghold of militants. I think this will be a top item during his talks in Italy and France.”
Al Sissi’s talks in Rome and Paris will focus on boosting economic links and cooperation against terrorism, according to Egyptian officials.
Egypt has repeatedly demanded that a current US-led military campaign against the militant Daesh in Iraq and Syria be expanded to cover other radical groups including those in Sinai and other parts in the region.
The Egyptian leader is to meet business leaders in Italy and France to encourage them to invest in his country whose economy has been battered by more than three years of political unrest.
Al Sissi is due Monday to meet Pope Francis of the Roman catholic Church, marking the first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the Vatican in eight years.
They are expected to discuss links between the Holy See and Egypt’s influential Islamic institution Al Azhar, according to media reports.
Al Azhar’s links with the Vatican deteriorated under Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, who criticized Egypt for alleged persecution of its Christian minority. Christians, who make up around 10 per cent of Egypt’s predominantly Muslim 87 million population, are staunch backers of Al Sissi.
“President Al Sissi’s meeting with Pope Francis is significant,” Bishop Rafik Gareeish, a spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, said.
“Pope Francis is keen to meet the Egyptian president despite the pontiff’s other engagements.”
