President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday to discuss a range of regional topics, including Palestine, terrorism, and the delivery of Apache helicopters to Egypt’s military.
Kerry stressed the support of the US to the ongoing economic reforms in Egypt. Kerry stated that the US will deliver military aid to Egypt in the form of 10 Apache helicopters in November, adding that a delegation of investors will visit Egypt that month to assess available investment opportunities.
The delivery of the helicopters is intended to assist Egypt’s operations against militants. Military aid was suspended following the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 but the US later announced its partial resumption.
Kerry praised Egypt’s contribution to the Gaza Reconstruction Conference held in Cairo on Sunday, highlighting Egypt’s role in brokering a recent ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions, and its efforts to achieve stability to the region.
Al-Sisi and Kerry also discussed regional concerns, including the situations in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. Al-Sisi stressed his belief in the importance of developing a concrete strategy to be implemented by the international community to combat terrorism and eliminate extremist groups that threaten the stability and security in the region.
Kerry and Shoukry also held a meeting following the Gaza Reconstruction Conference where the pair discussed Egypt’s regional role in the Middle East peace process and tackling extremism in the region and the outcome of the conference.
During the conference, Kerry announced that US will provide $212m for the reconstruction of Gaza following a 50-day conflict between Palestinian factions and Israel. Kerry stated that recovery and reconstruction alone are not sufficient and it is necessary to build Gaza’s economy over the long-term and establish a lasting peace.
