ATHENS – Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said that the European Union should develop closer relations with Egypt – a key player in energy deals with Greece but also criticized for eroding democracy and jailing journalists.

But Dendias said that “Egypt is a country of capital importance for Europe. An EU partner and friend, with which we must develop our relations and support Egypt in its effort to deal with the great economic crisis,” said Kathimerini.

That came has he arrived to attend the ninth session of the EU-Egypt Association Council and Greece’s New Democracy government setting aside the COVID-19 pandemic to concentrate on an economic recovery and making money.

Dendias met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Athens for lunch before they traveled together to Luxembourg, the Greek minister saying Egypt needs help with human rights and women’s rights issues.

The council as expected to endorse the Partnership Priorities Document for 2021-27, detailing EU-Egypt cooperations on matters, such as agriculture, irrigation, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, green transition, digitalization, and smart transport, the paper also said.