ISTANBUL

France’s president on Monday urged attendees at the Franco-Egyptian business forum against being dependent on global powers.

“We believe we should not be dependent on major global powers, and we believe this is the right path,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at the business forum as part of a three-day visit to Cairo, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Macron said they share a conviction that they must build a path toward independence in an “increasingly uncertain world.”

“This isn’t about isolationism. It’s about a kind of geopolitical non-alignment, a sentiment that resonates deeply in your country’s history,” he added.

Macron underscored that investing in Egypt would mean investing in a “stable” country, commending Sisi’s leadership for enabling “extraordinary growth potential.”

“Egypt is a geopolitical, military, and demographic powerhouse and this gives it tremendous growth potential, which, for France, is a unique source of confidence,” he said, giving assurances that France will stand by Egypt in the “vital reforms” it undertakes.

Macron also commended Egypt’s commitment to increasing the share of renewables in its electricity mix, pointing to renewable partnerships.

“The experience of the war in Ukraine has underscored our energy dependencies, and we must draw all the right lessons by developing more resilient solutions,” he added.

Macron arrived in Cairo on Sunday for a three-day visit to Egypt for talks with Egyptian officials on bilateral ties and regional developments. His trip began with a tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum in western Cairo and a walk through its historic streets, especially the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.