President Sisi to Macron: Welcome, dear guest, to Alexandria, the bride of the Mediterranean

Written by: Mohammed Omran

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Alexandria, describing him as a ”dear guest” in the “Bride of the Mediterranean,” in a message reflecting the depth of the historical and strategic relations that unite Egypt and France.

President Sisi to President Macron: Welcome, dear guest, to Alexandria, the bride of the Mediterranean.

In a post on his official Facebook page, President Sisi said: ”My friend, President Emmanuel Macron, welcome as a brand guest in Alexandria, the bride of the Mediterranean.”.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi conducted an inspection tour of Alexandria yesterday evening, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron, in the presence of the heads of delegations of the countries participating in the opening of the new headquarters of Senghor University, as well as Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of the International Organization of the Francophonie.

The official spokesman for the Presidency of the Republic stated that the two presidents toured the tourist promenade on the Alexandria Corniche, reaching the entrance to the historic Qaitbay Citadel.

Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the official spokesperson, indicated that the two presidents listened to an explanation about the history of the construction of the Qaitbay Citadel, in the presence of Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. They also listened to a detailed presentation on the underwater archaeological excavations of the remains of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, presented by Dr. Mohamed El-Sayed, Chief Inspector of the General Department of Underwater Antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and Dr. Thomas Faucher, Director of the Alexandria Center for Studies at the French Ministry of Scientific Research, who also reviewed the archaeological and historical treasures recovered from various periods.

The official spokesperson added that following the tour, the President hosted a dinner in honor of the French President and his accompanying delegation, as well as the heads of delegations from the countries participating in the inauguration of the new Senghor University campus. During the dinner, His Excellency reiterated his welcome to the French President in Egypt, praising the significant progress in bilateral relations across various fields and expressing his aspiration to further strengthen existing cooperation between the two countries in the areas of culture, tourism, antiquities, and the arts. The President also expressed his appreciation to the countries participating in the inauguration of the new university campus and their support for efforts to advance scientific and cultural cooperation among member states of the International Organization of the Francophonie.

The official spokesperson explained that the French President, for his part, expressed his deep appreciation for visiting the ancient city of Alexandria, which represents a global beacon of science and culture, as well as being a pivotal center for cooperation between Mediterranean countries throughout the ages, stressing his country’s keenness to continue deepening cultural ties between the two friendly Egyptian and French peoples, in order to strengthen the existing strategic partnership between the two countries.