Washington, Cairo Cooperate Over National Security
2 Min Read
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry affirm commitment to the national security of both countries.
-
Washington and Cairo cooperate for the preservation of peace in the Middle East.
The US State Department said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, led a US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue in Washington on November 8-9.
According to the ministry's statement, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Egypt. They identified areas in which bilateral and regional cooperation could be deepened, including economic and trade affairs, education, cultural issues, consular affairs, human rights, justice, security forces, defense, and security. They also agreed on the importance of conducting this dialogue periodically.
The US and Egypt also affirmed that "the partnership between Egypt and the United States has been and remains indispensable for the preservation of peace and the promotion of prosperity [in the Middle East]."
In regard to the Renaissance Dam, the US renewed President Joe Biden's support for Egypt's water security, calling for the resumption of negotiations to agree on the Renaissance Dam under the auspices of the President of the African Union, and in line with the UN Security Council presidential statement on September 15.
International files
On another note, the US and Egypt stressed the importance of holding elections in Libya on December 24 and supported the Libyan Joint Military Committee's Action Plan [5 + 5] to remove all foreign forces, fighters, and mercenaries.
They also discussed the Sudanese file, the resolution of regional conflicts, humanitarian crises in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, and agreements to continue high-level consultations on the Middle East and Africa.
In the same context, the US and Egypt affirmed their commitment to the bilateral defense cooperation to address current and future challenges, including in the field of counter-terrorism and border and maritime security, with Egypt reaffirming its commitment to active participation in the Combined Maritime Forces.
The US noted the importance of Egypt's last nationally-funded $1 billion contracts to renew Egyptian Apache helicopters, support hundreds of American jobs, and increase Egyptian preparations.
Both Egypt and the US announced plans to enhance judicial cooperation and security services to combat transnational crime by sharing evidence and information used to investigate and prosecute these crimes under international legal standards.
