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El-Sisi meets US CENTCOM Commander to discuss military ties, regional de-escalation - Foreign Affairs

El-Sisi meets US CENTCOM Commander to discuss military ties, regional de-escalation - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly20-07-2025
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on Sunday with General Michael Kurilla, Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), to discuss strengthening military and security cooperation, regional de-escalation efforts, and advancing political solutions to ongoing crises.
The meeting, held in the presence of Egypt's Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production General Abdel Majeed Saqr and US Ambassador to Egypt Herro Mustafa Garg, reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States.
Talks focused on enhancing joint coordination in security and defence, particularly amid regional instability. Both sides stressed the importance of close cooperation in supporting regional and international peace and security.
President El-Sisi and General Kurilla also reviewed developments across the region, including in Gaza, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa, with a shared emphasis on the need for de-escalation and the pursuit of sustainable political solutions.
On Gaza, El-Sisi reiterated Egypt's continued efforts to broker a ceasefire, facilitate the exchange of captives and detainees, and ensure the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid. He also praised the efforts of US President Donald Trump to support ceasefire negotiations.
Kurilla conveyed greetings from Trump, which El-Sisi welcomed, highlighting the depth of US-Egypt relations.
The meeting also addressed the Nile water dispute, with El-Sisi reaffirming Egypt's stance on the issue as a matter of national security.
Earlier this month, President Trump vowed to work toward resolving the long-standing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia, stating that the US had contributed financially to the construction of the Ethiopian dam.
'The Nile is a very important source of income and life… we think we are going to have that solved very quickly,' Trump stated.
El-Sisi later responded in a Facebook post, expressing confidence in Trump's ability to navigate complex international challenges and promote stability from Ukraine to Palestine and Africa.
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