The European Commission has disbursed €1.5 billion in macro-financial assistance to Egypt as the second instalment of an ongoing €4 billion EU support programme.
The funding is being provided as concessional loans — meaning loans offered on more favourable terms than standard market borrowing, the Commission informed on Friday.
It said the money would help Egypt cover part of its financing needs and support its economic reform programme, alongside an existing International Monetary Fund programme.
The Commission also noted the assistance would help ease pressure on Egypt’s external finances, including due to the current situation in the Middle East.
It said it had concluded Egypt met the conditions for this instalment, including fulfilling economic policy conditions agreed with the EU and keeping the IMF programme on track.
The Commission declared it also assessed that Egypt had taken “concrete and credible steps” towards effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, as well as upholding the rule of law and ensuring respect for human rights.
How the wider EU package is structured
The €1.5 billion payment is the second of three instalments expected under the €4 billion programme, according to the Commission.
It said the wider package also includes a separate €1 billion short-term macro-financial assistance payment disbursed at the end of 2024, bringing total EU macro-financial assistance support to €5 billion under the EU-Egypt Strategic Comprehensive Partnership concluded in March 2024.
The first instalment under the €4 billion programme — €1 billion — was disbursed in January 2026.
