UPDATED: France keen to increase investments in Egypt, French PM tells Sisi

UPDATED: France keen to increase investments in Egypt, French PM tells Sisi

France's Prime Minister Jean Castex told Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday that his country is keen to increase its investments in Egypt to support development efforts in the country.

El-Sisi, who is on an official visit to Paris since Sunday, met Castex earlier today to discuss bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of major development projects, energy, transportation, education, health, culture, and tourism, as well as cooperation in the military and security fields.

Castex said the achievements Egypt has made under the leadership of President El-Sisi make it important to back these developmental efforts to consolidate the role Egypt is playing as a balancing axis for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, according to a statement released by the Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Rady.

President El-Sisi voiced Cairo's hope to develop relations with Paris, especially at the economic and commercial levels via increasing the volume of French investments in Egypt given what France represents as one of Egypt's most important partners in Europe.

He highlighted the current "great" opportunity to make use of the new infrastructure and the improved business climate, which was reflected in Egypt's "steady“ economic performance during the coronavirus pandemic.

Egypt has achieved