$Test — Article title-Sisi and Trump prepping US-Egypt relations
“The Obama administration never extended an invitation to Sisi to visit Washington DC. However, with Trump in power the Egyptian President appears to have an ally in the White House”
Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh al-Sisi left Cairo on Saturday for Washington where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday.
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The event will mark Sisi’s first state visit to the US since becoming president in 2014. No invite was ever extended by the Obama administration with whom Sisi experienced frosty relations.
Figures accompanying Sisi on the visit include Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Minister of International Cooperation Sahar Nasr, Trade Minister Tareq Qabeel, and Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate Major General Kahled Fawzi.
Allies in the making
According to official statements put out by the US and Egyptian governments, Sisi’s visit is aimed at strengthening economic and trade relations between the two states, and increasing US investment into Egypt.
In addition to holding talks with White House officials, Sisi is also set to meet with members of the American chamber of commerce, and the heads of major US companies to discuss potential investment opportunities.
Talks will also be held with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund as the Egyptian President looks to secure further financial aid to support a floundering economy.
Sisi previously met with Trump in September, before the billionaire real estate tycoon was elected to the White House.
Frosty relations with Obama
Sisi appears to have established a closer relationship with Trump, than with his predecessor in the White House Barack Obama.
Obama criticised the Egyptian President’s clampdown on protestors and civil freedoms in the aftermath of seizing power following a 2013 military coup that saw the imprisonment of Mohamad Morsi — the Muslim Brotherhood leader and Egypt’s first democratically elected president.
“President-elect Trump has shown deep and great understanding of what is taking place in the region as a whole and what is taking place in Egypt,” said Sisi, following his September 2016 meeting with Trump.
For his part Trump has called Sisi “a fantastic guy”, commenting on the Egyptian President’s rule:
“He took control of Egypt. And he really took control of it.”
Jillian Kestler-DAmours
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