President arrives in Cairo

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has arrived in Cairo where he will take part in a meeting of European leaders with the President of Egypt

The meeting on Sunday is part of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership during which a Joint Declaration will be signed between the EU and Egypt.

Around noon, the president will participate in a coordination meeting with the other participating European leaders, the prime ministers of Greece, Italy, Belgium, the Chancellor of Austria and the President of the European Commission.

European leaders will then travel to the Presidential Palace, where they will hold separate bilateral meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The bilateral meeting between Christodoulides and his Egyptian counterpart is expected to take place around 2pm.

At 3pm, a meeting between Sisi and all participating European leaders will follow and then, at 4.30pm, the expanded talks are expected to take place with the participation of the delegations of the countries participating in the meeting.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President al-Sisi will then sign the Joint Declaration in the presence of all leaders.

Around 6pm, the seven leaders are expected to make statements to the media.

Egypt’s President will then host a dinner in honour of European leaders.

President Christodoulides, who is accompanied by government spokesman Konstantinos Letympiotis, the head of his diplomatic office Doros Venezis and officials, will return to Cyprus on Sunday night.