French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is to meet Egyptian Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi on Monday, and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Tuesday, to discuss terrorism and the situation in the Middle East.
The meetings follow on from Saturday’s meetings between Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Al-Sisi and US Secretary of State John Kerry.
On the agenda is the formation of an international coalition led by the US to confront the threat of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). Le Drian is also to conduct talks with Egyptian military manufacturers on Tuesday.
Le Drian’s visit is to coordinate measures to combat terrorism with Egypt, allowing ships and war supplies through the Suez Canal, said Yousry Al Ezabawy, a political analyst at Al-Ahram Centre for Strategic Studies.
Al-Sisi will discuss bilateral cooperation in the strategic and military fields, as well as address the situation in Syria, Libya and Iraq.
“This is a very important visit, especially that the French President [Francois Hollande] visited Egypt recently,” Al Ezabawy said. He added that it reflects France’s changed stance towards Egypt after it had previously not recognised the political process that followed the 30 June uprising.
“Now there is coordination with President Al-Sisi, and appreciation of Egypt’s political role,” Al Ezabawy said.
Kerry met with Shoukry on Saturday to discuss the coalition against the jihadist group, and during which he said that Egypt plays a pivotal role in combating Islamic State fighters in Iraq.
Although Egypt announced its support, it refused to enter the coalition for fear of being a tool to overthrow the Syrian regime instead of combat terrorism, or for the coalition leading to more terrorism, said Al Ezabawy.
He said: “[Why] will 14 countries fight? Do we need all of this to fight 5,000 to 7,000 [militants]? There is something incomprehensible [about the coalition].”
The talks managed to grant the US the support of 10 Arab countries to launch a “coordinated military campaign” against Islamic State fighters in Iraq.
IS continues its power struggle throughout Syria and Iraq as it attempts to extend its influence and impose Sharia law across the region. It declared a self-styled caliphate, a Sunni regime ordering its subjects to operate under an extreme interpretation of Sharia law.
In June IS took over Mosul, one of Iraq’s largest cities, forcing Christians in the city to flee, pay a religious tax or be executed. The group controls large areas of land in both Iraq and Syria, and commands a considerable armed force. The US Congress said IS has “ambitions and capabilities greater than Al-Qaeda”.
IS has been releasing videos of beheadings it has executed, the most recent being the beheading of British aid worker, David Cawthorne Haines. American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded in August.
