What Happened: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has completed a three-day visit to Russia for a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, where the pair signed a number of agreements on mutual cooperation, Amram Online reported Oct. 17.
Why It Matters: The visit furthered Egypt's goal of securing a wider range of sources for foreign investment and shoring up relations with key security allies like Russia. Putin and al-Sisi reportedly discussed bilateral cooperation on a number of issues important to Cairo, including Russian support for Egypt's military sector, Russian participation in developing an Egyptian nuclear power plant and greater Russian investment in the Egyptian market.
Background: Egypt and Russia have had a productive, proactive and mutually beneficial relationship for decades. Recently, Cairo's ties to Moscow have helped it secure foreign investment and security cooperation as Russia works to increase its influence in the Middle East.
Read More:
- Egypt Goes on an Arms Spending Spree (Oct. 9, 2018)
- A President of the Egyptian Military's Choosing (Jan. 24, 2018)
- In the Middle East, Russia Seems to Be Everywhere (Dec. 13, 2017)
