Alexandria – The head of the European Commission delegation in Egypt, Ambassador Marc Franco, has stated that Nile Basin countries must resolve their disputes without external interference and should think carefully before taking any irreversible steps. He also advised against rushing into agreements without unanimous consensus and stressed the need to review and discuss all contentious clauses in the current treaty.

Franco pointed to Ethiopia as the key to resolving the crisis, given that it controls more than 80% of the Nile’s water. He urged Egypt to reach an agreement with Addis Ababa and reassured Cairo that fears of reduced water shares were unfounded. Instead, he called on Egyptian officials to establish a clear strategy for combating water wastage, adding that the EU had held several meetings with the Egyptian government to address this issue.

Franco’s remarks came during a press conference held by the European Commission on the sidelines of the European Street Festival in Alexandria last week at the Sofitel Hotel. The event showcased European cultures through their most famous foods, beverages, and prominent economic and tourism activities.

Most of the EU’s key member states, along with recent entrants, were represented at the event through designated exhibition spaces at Antoniades Garden, supported by their embassies in Cairo. The festival featured cultural heritage displays, tourism promotions, and traditional food and drinks from each country. Additionally, a dedicated pavilion in each section highlighted bilateral cooperation programmes and education opportunities.

Franco explained that Alexandria was chosen as the festival’s venue to draw attention to the coastal city’s cultural and historical significance. ‘Egypt is not limited to Cairo—it extends across all its governorates,’ he said. Meanwhile, Alexandria’s governor, Major General Adel Labib, thanked the organisers for spotlighting the city’s importance. The event was also attended by Dr Hani Hilal, Egypt’s minister of higher education.

The ambassador emphasised Egypt’s strategic importance to the EU as the largest Arab and Muslim country, highlighting the ongoing, intensive dialogue between the two sides on regional issues, the Middle East peace process, and developments in Sudan, as well as the current Nile Basin crisis.

Franco praised the political alignment between Egypt and the EU on many issues and commended the Egyptian government’s economic reform efforts and its drive to attract foreign investment.

He also discussed areas of development cooperation, including health, education, tourism, and transport, within the framework of the European Partnership Programme. The EU, he noted, has allocated €150 million to support Egypt’s reform initiatives across various sectors, in coordination with the Egyptian government. He also revealed that negotiations on a new energy programme would take place at the end of 2010.

Franco singled out Minister of International Cooperation Mushira Khattab for praise, particularly for her efforts to combat female genital mutilation (FGM), affirming that the EU fully supports her campaign to eradicate the practice.

Addressing political cooperation, Franco noted that democracy and human rights remain central to the EU’s engagement with Egypt. He stated that the EU provides €900,000 annually to fund democracy and human rights programmes in the country and has allocated €300,000 to support civil society organisations that will monitor the upcoming elections.

When asked about the potential impact of the EU’s economic crisis—particularly in light of Greece’s financial turmoil—on aid to Egypt, Franco dismissed concerns. He explained that Greece’s crisis was not due to insufficient aid but rather to delays in receiving it, caused by the EU’s slow response. This delay, he said, was why the issue dominated headlines. Greece, he clarified, eventually received €110 billion in bailout funds from the EU and the International Monetary Fund, but the prolonged decision-making process exacerbated the situation.

He also pointed out that the USA itself has a budget deficit amounting to 11% of its GDP. However, he reassured that, unlike the USA, the EU’s budget has not been significantly impacted by the crisis and has never faced a deficit.

Finally, Franco confirmed that official EU development aid protocols with Egypt remain unchanged. These funds are pre-allocated within the EU’s budget and will not be affected by the ongoing crisis.

This article is originally published by AlBorsa in Arabic and later AI-translated by South Push.