Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, will arrive in Washington DC Sunday for a three-day visit with the aim of strengthening Egyptian-US bilateral relations, reported a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shoukry will meet US secretary of state John Kerry, senators from the US congress, and US national security advisor Susan Rice to discuss the latest developments in regional and international issues.
“This visit comes after the election of parliament which marked the final step in Egypt’s political roadmap … giving a new impetus and boost to Egyptian-US relations”, said foreign minister spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid.
Shoukry will also hold interviews with NPR radio, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. He also plans to host seminars at several research centers.
Last Tuesday, Shoukry and Kerry met during their time in Rome where representatives from 23 nations gathered to review progress on the fight against the “Islamic State” (IS).
They agreed to continue to support the political process in Libya; the establishment of a national unity government will be the first step to combating IS’s hold over the oil-rich country.
According to a report from Reuters, US officials view the continued political instability as the primary obstacle to directly addressing the threat of IS in Libya.
The Pentagon expressed concern in the past week about the spread of IS forces in Libya after repeated attacks against the Mediterranean country’s oil infrastructure.
Anonymous officials told Reuters that the White House and security advisors discussed possible military intervention in Libya. However, the meeting did not yield any definitive action plans.
