A woman holds a placard as she stages a protest against the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi by the National Assembly in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, left, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian elbow bump during a signing ceremony in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)French Prime Minister Jean Castex, second right, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prior to their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)French Prime Minister Jean Castex, right, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prior to their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)French Prime Minister Jean Castex waves goodbye to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi after their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)French Prime Minister Jean Castex, right, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prior to their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)A Republican Guard rides a horse in the gardens of the Matignon Hotel after French Prime Minister Jean Castex met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)People hold placards as they stage a protest against the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi by the National Assembly in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. Placard in the center reads, 'urgent human rights in Egypt.' (AP Photo/Michel Euler)French Prime Minister Jean Castex, right, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prior to their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)People hold a banner that reads, 'Sissi killer,' as they stage a protest against the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi by the National Assembly in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)French Prime Minister Jean Castex, right, greets Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi after to their talks in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)Mounted Republican Guards arrive before French Prime Minister Jean Castex welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Paris, Tuesday, Dec.8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)A man holds a placard depicting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and reads he is a criminal as he stages a protest by the National Assembly in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A woman holds a placard as she stages a protest against the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi by the National Assembly in Paris, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Monday "disagreements" with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over human rights, but said it will not prevent France from reaching economic and defense deals with the North African country, which has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
PARIS – French protesters and human rights activists demonstrated outside the National Assembly in Paris on Tuesday in opposition to the state visit of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi even though he wasn't inside.
El-Sissi's visit is in its second and final day. The protesters, who carried placards reading “Egypt, Human Rights Emergency,” were also angry at French President Emmanuel Macron for rolling out the red carpet to the Egyptian leader, whom they view as a human rights abuser. Egypt has cracked down severely on political dissent in recent years.
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Macron welcomed el-Sissi at the Elysee Palace. The leaders held robust discussions on issues such as human right issues in addition to fighting terrorism, the conflict in Libya and other regional issues.
Macron previously acknowledged “disagreements” with his Egyptian counterpart, such as in the sphere of human rights, but he said it would be no obstacle to economic and defense deals with the North African country.
Despite human rights groups’ criticism, el-Sissi signed contracts with French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Tuesday for French development aid and hospital and transport cooperation.
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