🇪🇬EgyptNorth Africa
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty travels to Europe for Egypt-EU Association Council and bilateral talks
via Egypt Today1 min read
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has departed for Belgium and Luxembourg to co-chair the 11th meeting of the Association Council between the European Union and Egypt. In Brussels, Abdelatty will meet with senior EU officials. He will then proceed to Luxembourg to co-chair the Association Council with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, with Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica representing the European Commission. The Council will review the implementation of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, launched in March 2024, focusing on political relations, economic stability, trade and investment, migration and mobility, security, and demography and human capital. Discussions will also cover regional and global issues, including developments in the Middle East and North Africa. Abdelatty is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with European foreign ministers and senior officials.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Must ReadPresident Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will participate in the Group of Seven G7 summit in Evian, France, from June 15 to 17, 2026. The Egyptian Presidency announced that El-Sisi will hold bilateral talks with leaders of participating countries, including US President Donald Trump. This meeting follows their previous engagements, such as the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026 and co-chairing the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace in October 2025, where they signed a declaration to end the war in Gaza. Egypt is actively supporting a prospective deal between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war and is working to advance the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The G7 summit, hosted by France, will gather heads of state and government from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, along with invited partner countries like Egypt. Egypt's participation, its second at a G7 summit, highlights its role in promoting development and stability in the Middle East. Discussions will cover global economic growth, geopolitical crises, trade, energy, supply chains, Sustainable Development Goals, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. Chiefs of the European Council and European Commission, as well as heads of international and regional organizations, will also attend.
Egyptian authorities have uncovered the illicit use of titanium dioxide TiO₂, an additive, to whiten sugarcane juice, a popular and affordable summer drink. This practice was revealed during a routine licensing inspection in Toukh, Qalyubia, leading to the confiscation of contaminated samples by the Consumer Protection Agency. Vendors reportedly add TiO₂ to brighten the juice, which naturally darkens quickly due to oxidation, making it appear fresher. Islam El-Gazzar stated that TiO₂ is considered "very dangerous" and is banned in food manufacturing factories, with investigations showing vendors are unaware of its dangers and use it in excessive quantities, posing risks to kidney and liver functions. While Egypt does not have a blanket ban on TiO₂ in all food products, and it is used in some local sweets, the former head of the Food Safety Committee at the Veterinary Syndicate, Shereen Ali Zaki, warned that the substance accumulates in the human body and has been linked to genotoxicity in recent international studies. The Egyptian Drug Authority banned TiO₂ in nanoparticle form in May 2025 for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, but not entirely. The European Food Safety Authority banned TiO₂ as a food additive in 2021 due to genotoxicity concerns, while the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives JECFA in 2023 stated it is safe for consumption, citing no convincing evidence of DNA damage.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov lauded the Grand Egyptian Museum GEM during his visit to Egypt, describing it as a globally significant cultural landmark. Saidov, on the first visit by an Uzbek foreign minister to Egypt, stated that the GEM reflects Egypt's commitment to preserving and showcasing shared human heritage. He highlighted that the museum presents ancient Egypt's treasures in an exceptional setting, offering millions of visitors a chance to appreciate the values, creativity, and resilience of great civilizations. Saidov characterized Egypt as a historical beacon of knowledge, innovation, and state-building, whose contributions to civilization transcend time and geography. He emphasized Egypt's role as a meeting point for civilizations and stressed the importance of cultural heritage preservation as an investment in the future, strengthening identity and promoting mutual understanding.