US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to visit Cairo on 2 August to co-chair the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, according to a Monday US Department of State statement.
US President Barack Obama accepted the invitation to engage in a Strategic Dialogue in Egypt as long ago as November 2013. The Dialogue has, however, been on hold since then, and was originally scheduled for 28-29 July 2015, but was postponed until 2 August.
“The bilateral dialogue reaffirms the United States’ longstanding and enduring partnership with Egypt,” the statement read, which added that dialogue will provide “a forum to discuss a broad range of political, economic, security and cultural issues”.
Following the visit, Kerry is scheduled to travel to Qatar’s capital, Doha, to meet with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers.
Egypt and the US have witnessed fluctuating ties since the ouster of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. President Obama suspended US military aid to Egypt in the aftermath of Morsi’s ouster, a suspension lifted on 31 March this year.
The last time Kerry visited Egypt was during March’s Economic Summit held in Sharm El-Sheikh, when the US pledged support for Egypt’s economic reforms and urged business investments.
