Lead:
Badr Abdel Atty, Egypt's Foreign Minister, held a series of high-level bilateral and multilateral discussions in Paris on Monday, November 9, 2026, alongside participation in the G7 ministerial meeting with partner nations. The talks addressed regional tensions in the Middle East, the Red Sea security crisis, and Egypt's approach to artificial intelligence governance. Egypt emphasized the need for sustained diplomatic efforts to prevent military escalation between Washington and Tehran and to preserve maritime security in contested waters.
Details:
The Foreign Minister met separately with Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, to discuss Egypt-US strategic partnership and regional developments. According to statements from spokesman Nader Zaki at Egypt's Foreign Ministry, Abdel Atty stressed the importance of intensifying diplomatic efforts and prioritizing political solutions to contain escalating tensions. The two discussed accelerating regional de-escalation initiatives and reducing strategic instability.
In a parallel meeting with Mauro Vieira, Brazil's Foreign Minister, Abdel Atty opened by congratulating President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his re-election to a fourth term. The talks focused on deepening Egypt-Brazil bilateral cooperation under their strategic partnership agreement, with emphasis on economic, trade, and investment sectors. The ministers reviewed regional and international developments affecting both nations.
Abdel Atty also met with Cho Hyun, South Korea's Foreign Minister, and Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The discussions centered on preventing renewed military confrontation between the United States and Iran, safeguarding Red Sea maritime passages, and preventing regional conflict escalation. Abdel Atty emphasized Egypt's commitment to mediation and de-escalation efforts.
During the G7 ministerial session, Abdel Atty delivered remarks on artificial intelligence governance, framing AI as a key driver for economic growth and innovation in health, education, agriculture, and public administration. He outlined Egypt's efforts to establish an integrated national governance framework for AI, including creation of a National Artificial Intelligence Council, adoption of a national strategy, and implementation of a governance framework to ensure responsible AI deployment while protecting citizens and promoting innovation.
Watch For:
Whether Egypt's diplomatic shuttle in Paris translates into concrete trilateral or multilateral mechanisms to reduce Iran-US tensions or secure Red Sea shipping corridors before year-end. Whether the AI governance framework Egypt presented gains adoption or coordination among G7 partners and emerging economies at upcoming international forums. Whether follow-up bilateral agreements between Egypt and Brazil or South Korea materialize in 2027 on trade, defense, or technology sectors.