British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Cairo on Thursday to discuss strengthening trade ties and addressing irregular migration.
The meeting precedes the second Egyptian-British Participation Council, an initiative aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations. Discussions also touched on regional stability, including Egypt’s role in brokering a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which Lammy was expected to commend.
In addition to trade and migration, Lammy was anticipated to raise concerns about the detention of British-Egyptian writer and pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd El Fattah. Despite serving a five-year sentence for dissent, Fattah remains imprisoned until 2027, as Egyptian authorities have not counted the two years he spent in pretrial detention. His family has called on Lammy to prioritize securing his release during the talks.
The discussions underline the complex dynamics between Britain and Egypt, balancing economic interests with pressing human rights concerns.