Egypt Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly touched down in Luanda on November 24, 2025, to stand in for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the seventh African Union-European Union Summit. He jumped right into action with a key meeting alongside Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, focusing on stronger ties amid global shifts.
This summit, running through November 25, marks 25 years of AU-EU partnership and draws leaders to tackle peace, security, and economic growth. Madbouly plans to speak on multilateralism and hold more side talks, building on Egypt’s recent global push at events like the G20 in Johannesburg.
Summit Kickoff and Egypt’s Role
Madbouly arrived with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, ready to join the opening session. He will deliver Egypt’s main speech during the first big discussion on peace, security, governance, and global teamwork.
Egypt sees this as a chance to boost Africa’s voice in world affairs, especially after hosting the first AU-EU meeting in Cairo back in 2000. Leaders from both continents aim to deepen economic links and handle shared challenges like climate change and debt.
The event comes hot on the heels of Madbouly’s G20 appearance in South Africa, where he met Japanese and Vietnamese leaders to grow strategic bonds. This Angola trip continues that momentum, showing Egypt’s active role in African and global forums.
Analysts note the summit’s timing amid rising calls for fair global systems, including vaccine equity and green recovery, themes echoed in past AU gatherings.
Bilateral Meeting with Croatian PM
On the summit’s edges, Madbouly sat down with Plenković for talks that highlighted growing Egypt-Croatia relations. The session included Abdelatty and Egypt’s ambassador to Angola, underscoring the high stakes.
Madbouly praised recent visits, like Croatia’s president attending the Grand Egyptian Museum opening in Cairo earlier this month. He also mentioned Egypt’s religious affairs minister’s trip to Zagreb and an upcoming visit by Croatia’s parliament speaker to Cairo for a Mediterranean meeting.
The leaders agreed that their shared views on regional issues pave the way for more action. This meeting builds on Plenković’s February 2025 visit to Cairo, where they signed deals on investment and port cooperation.
Plenković showed support for Egypt’s EU partnership, recalling his role in the October Egypt-EU summit in Brussels. Both sides committed to turning talk into real progress.
Boosting Trade and Economic Ties
Madbouly stressed that trade between Egypt and Croatia falls short of their political friendship. He pointed to chances in energy, tourism, and shipbuilding to lift volumes.
One big idea is a new Ro-Ro shipping line between ports in Alexandria and Rijeka. This could speed up exports of fresh Egyptian farm goods to Croatia and into Eastern Europe.
- Key sectors for growth: Energy projects to share tech and resources.
- Tourism boost: Joint campaigns to draw visitors from both regions.
- Labor exchange: Egypt offers skilled workers for Croatia’s construction and hospitality needs.
Madbouly noted about 7,000 Egyptians already work in Croatia and pushed for more organized hiring. Agreements from earlier this year, like the 2025-2028 cultural program, need quick rollout to spark real change.
Experts say these steps could add millions to bilateral trade, now at modest levels, by tapping Egypt’s market of over 100 million people and Croatia’s EU gateway role.
Regional Issues on the Table
The talks touched on hot spots like Gaza, where Madbouly shared Egypt’s work on the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement. Egypt pushes for calm and aid flow in coordination with global partners.
Plenković backed Egypt’s peace efforts, aligning with EU stances on stability. Both leaders discussed broader Middle East tensions and their impact on Europe and Africa.
This fits the summit’s focus on security, with emergency talks on Ukraine also happening on the sidelines. Egypt’s role in mediating conflicts adds weight to its voice here.
Logical reasoning suggests stronger Egypt-Croatia bonds could help in joint responses to migration and terrorism, common worries for both.
Wider Impact of the AU-EU Gathering
Over 50 leaders from Africa and Europe gathered in Luanda, hosted by Angola’s President João Lourenço and EU Council President António Costa. The summit celebrates a quarter-century of ties, first sparked in Egypt.
Discussions cover reforms for climate action, debt relief, and inequality, echoing G20 themes from Johannesburg. Egypt’s push for African priorities, like fair financing, stands out.
| Key Summit Themes | Goals and Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Peace and Security | Strengthen joint operations against terrorism and conflicts. Expected pacts on intelligence sharing. |
| Economic Growth | Boost trade and investment. Aim for $100 billion in new deals over five years. |
| Climate and Debt | Push for green funding and relief. Target 20% more aid for African renewables by 2030. |
| Multilateralism | Reform global bodies for better African input. Plans for AU seat in G20-like groups. |
This table shows the summit’s broad reach, with Egypt playing a bridge role between continents.
The event also spotlights Angola’s rising profile, fresh off hosting talks on African issues. For Egypt, it reinforces leadership in regional diplomacy.
As global events unfold, readers should share this article and comment below on how such summits shape world relations. Your thoughts could spark important discussions.
