Updated December 8th, 2020 at 19:14 IST
El-Sissi welcomed in Paris by French PM Castex
French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Tuesday welcomed Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ahead of their meeting in Paris.
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French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Tuesday welcomed Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi ahead of their meeting in Paris.
The Egyptian President is on a two-day state visit to France for talks on fighting terrorism, the conflict in Libya and other regional issues.
El-Sissi has overseen the toughest crackdown on critics in Egypt in living memory, jailing thousands of Islamists along with pro-democracy activists, reversing freedoms won in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, silencing critics and placing draconian rules on rights groups.
Over 20 human rights groups denounced in a joint statement France’s strategic partnership with Egypt.
Still, French authorities see Egypt as a key partner in the fight against extremism and for the stability of the region.
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that in the absence of Western support, Egypt could turn to the West’s authoritarian rivals China and Russia.
Egypt is a U.S. ally and has deep economic ties with European countries.
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Published December 8th, 2020 at 19:14 IST
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