Egypt considers new nuclear reactors with Russia after 2030
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily News Egypt
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi told Vladimir Putin that Egypt was interested in new nuclear reactors after 2030, as well as research and small-scale reactors. Cairo also reaffirmed its commitments on the El-Dabaa plant, according to the Daily News Egypt, following their meeting in Moscow on 28 October.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Egypt wanted to expand its nuclear cooperation with Moscow, including by considering new reactors after 2030. He spoke on Wednesday at the Kremlin, on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa Summit, the Daily News Egypt reports.
Al-Sissi reaffirmed Cairo’s commitment to the timetable and payment obligations for the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant. The pressure vessel for its second reactor was installed on 9 July. The Egyptian president also discussed building a research reactor, small floating reactors and cooperation in uranium and rare metals extraction.
The two leaders highlighted the development of their economic exchanges. Putin said bilateral trade had exceeded $10 billion in 2025, a record, and risen by 14% in the first eight months of 2026. Trade between Russia and Africa had, he said, increased one and a half times since 2022, exceeding $27 billion.
The meeting also addressed the next session of the joint intergovernmental commission, due to be held in Egypt in 2027, as well as grain, health, education and scientific research. Putin said more than 1.2 million Russian tourists had visited Egypt in the first half of 2026, following around 1.5 million in 2025.
On regional issues, Al-Sissi reaffirmed that water was an existential issue for Egypt and rejected unilateral measures in the eastern Nile basin. He also advocated a negotiated political settlement to the war in Ukraine, while the two presidents called for de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
