Written by: Ahmed Abdel Salam
The foreign tour of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Russia and Hungary during the period from October 28 to 30, 2026, witnessed intense diplomatic activity aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership with Moscow and opening broad horizons for cooperation with Budapest in the sectors of energy, investment, and security, coinciding with the holding of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.
Strategic Partnership with Russia and Major Projects
The meeting between President Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin formed the most prominent axis of the tour, where discussions focused on following up on the implementation of giant joint projects, foremost among them the El Dabaa nuclear power plant for electricity generation and the planned Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The two sides also addressed expanding cooperation to include trade, health, tourism, education, and scientific research, thereby moving relations from strategic projects to fields of economic, technological, and service cooperation.
On the political level, the two presidents exchanged views on Middle East developments, emphasizing the necessity of de-escalation, and Putin praised Egypt's pivotal role. They also discussed developments in the Horn of Africa, where Sisi renewed Egypt's adherence to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and rejected unilateral actions in the Eastern Nile Basin, emphasizing that the water issue is existential for Egypt.
Third Russia-Africa Summit: An Egyptian Vision for Integration
President Sisi participated in the proceedings of the Third Russia-Africa Summit hosted by Moscow on October 28 and 29, and delivered Egypt's speech in the general session, which adopted important documents, including the final declaration, the declaration of cooperation in the civilian use of artificial intelligence, and the Partnership Forum action plan for the period 2027-2029. Sisi presented a vision based on transitioning from political understandings to practical projects that serve the peoples of the continent through five pillars: developing strategic corridors and logistical zones, increasing intra-trade, enhancing energy and electricity connectivity, supporting water and food security, and expanding cooperation in telecommunications, information technology, and artificial intelligence.
The President called for reforming the international governance system and the Security Council to ensure fair African representation, and rejected the militarization of the Red Sea or the military presence of non-coastal countries, emphasizing Egypt's support for the unity of Sudan and the end of the war through a Sudanese political path.
New Horizons of Cooperation with Hungary in Energy and Gas
At the second stop in the capital, Budapest, Sisi held discussions with Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, which resulted in an agreement to begin exploratory talks to benefit from Egypt's advanced infrastructure in the gas sector, gas transmission networks, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving and regasification facilities, in preparation for determining technical and commercial cooperation opportunities. This step gains strategic importance given Egypt's geographical location and its regional role in energy circulation.
The discussions also addressed enhancing Hungarian investments in Egypt and benefiting from the competitive advantages of the Egyptian market, existing trade agreements with Africa and the Arab region, and opportunities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation within the framework of relations with the European Union and the Visegrad Group to open broader fields for economic cooperation.
Regional Security, Combating Migration, and Common Issues
President Sisi and the Hungarian Prime Minister agreed to enhance cooperation in combating illegal migration, confronting terrorism, securing borders, and protecting international trade corridors. They exchanged views on the Palestinian issue, where Sisi renewed emphasis on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, while rejecting the displacement of Palestinians. The discussions also touched upon the situations in Sudan, the Horn of Africa, Somalia, and the Ukrainian crisis, emphasizing state sovereignty and political solutions. The two sides agreed to work together to celebrate the centenary of Egyptian-Hungarian diplomatic relations in 2028, and Sisi extended an invitation to the Hungarian leadership to visit Egypt.
