EU-Egypt Dialogue on Security and Defence

On 31 March 2026, the first EU-Egypt Security and Defence Dialogue took place in Cairo.

The establishment of this Dialogue was agreed at the 1st EU-Egypt Leaders’ Summit in October 2025 and represents an important step towards strengthening cooperation on a wide range of peace, security and defence issues of common interest, as envisaged in the EU-Egypt Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of March 2024.

The delegations exchanged views on the war in Iran and the region in general, as well as on regional efforts towards de-escalation and the current situation in Lebanon, Gaza/the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan and Ukraine. They also addressed the situations in Syria, Libya, the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and Yemen. The delegations held a broader dialogue on their respective security and defence initiatives. Among other topics, the EU and Egypt discussed potential cooperation on the training of Palestinian police officers for deployment in Gaza,within the framework of the US-led Comprehensive Plan and in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

EU and Egyptian representatives addressed various areas of cooperation, such as maritime security and the defence of freedom of navigation in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); water security; the prevention and fight against terrorism; cybersecurity; non-proliferation and disarmament; EU support through the European Peace Facility; and defence initiatives, as well as exploring possible cooperation in these areas.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperating to achieve long-term stability, peace and security, as well as a rules-based multilateral order, and underlined the need for all parties to fully respect international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.

The EU-Egypt Security and Defence Dialogue is held regularly, alternating between Cairo and Brussels.

The meeting was co-chaired by Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary-General for Peace, Security and Defence at the European External Action Service, and Ambassador Wael Hamed, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs.

More information: European External Action Service.