Egypt’s Minister of Defense, General Mohamed Zaki, met with General Joseph Votel, Head of the US Central Command, during his visit to Cairo, Daily News Egypt reported.

Both military leaders discussed enhancing mutual military cooperation, exchanging expertise, updates of regional affairs, and issues of common interest. They also addressed ways to maintain security and stability and combat terrorism in the region.

During the meeting, Zaki emphasized the strength of Egyptian-American relations, calling for more military coordination between the two countries. 

For his part, Votel hailed the military cooperation between Egypt and the US, also asserting the need for bolstering more cooperation during the upcoming period.

Meanwhile, one of the Fateh 26 essential manoeuvers kicked off this week in the presence of Egypt’s army Chief-of-Staff, Mohamed Farid. The manoeuver, carried out by Egyptian and American armed forces, is set to last for a week as a part of annual exercises by the forces.

The Fateh 26 manoeuvers focus on specialized exercises and upgrading the skills and expertise of forces.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian-Kuwaiti “Sabah-1/Yarmouk-4” military drills concluded Sunday after several days of joint exercises in Kuwait.