Kick-off for the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU

On Tuesday 24th of January 2023, the Embassy of Sweden in Cairo hosted an opening reception to formally launch the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union together with the EU delegation in Egypt and Egyptian officials.

During the opening speech, the Swedish Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. Håkan Emsgård, highlighted Sweden’s priorities for the EU presidency in 2023:

• Security in the context of the War in Ukraine and its dire consequences for global food and energy supply.
• Competitiveness including strengthening global trade.
• Energy and green transitions.
• Democratic values and the rule of law.

“The EU is Egypt’s biggest trading partner and Egypt is an important neighbor for Europe. Egypt is also the gateway to Africa and the Middle East. Interconnectivity with our southern neighbors is high on our agenda, not least in the field of Energy and Green transition.” said ambassador Emsgård

Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt, said: “The partnership between the EU and Egypt is based on long-term strategic political and economic relations in all walks of life.  The EU is Egypt’s largest trading partner and we are keen to continue strengthening these relations and reinforce our partnership. I am certain the coming period will see significant cooperation in all fields.”

The Presidency of the Council rotates between EU Member States every six months.

The country that holds the Presidency leads the work of the Council and represents all 27 Member States in negotiations with other EU institutions.

Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 January to 30 June 2023