Italy, Egypt renew relations despite unresolved murder
The return of Italy’s ambassador to Egypt more than a year after the torture and slaying of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo heralds new opportunities for cooperation between the countries.
CAIRO — A murder that led Italy to recall its ambassador to Egypt last year remains unsolved, but the countries are once again engaging in diplomatic relations by restoring ambassador positions and promising to cooperate on a continuing investigation of the death.
Egypt refused, and still refuses, to admit that members of its police force were involved in the torture and murder of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni, despite overwhelming indications that they were. His brutalized body was found Feb. 3, 2016, in a ditch outside Cairo. Italy rejected the results of Egypt's investigation and disproved multiple scenarios the government put forward to assign blame elsewhere. Eventually, Egypt admitted that Regini had been under surveillance before he disappeared Jan. 25.
Rome recalled its ambassador in April 2016. As for Egypt's ambassador to Rome at the time, he remained there until retiring in June 2016. Egypt named his replacement, Hisham Badr, but the Italian Foreign Ministry postponed Badr's official appointment until Rome returned its ambassador to Cairo this month. Rome has assigned Ambassador Giampaolo Cantini to Cairo and accepted Badr, indicating improved relations after more than a year of Italy's icy contempt.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano expressed their desire during a Sept. 14 meeting in London to develop political, economic, military and security relations. After the meeting, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the two countries seek to counter illicit migration and fight terrorism. They also plan to cooperate in the energy sector, with production to begin soon at the offshore natural gas site Zohr field in the Mediterranean, under the supervision of Italian oil company Eni.
