Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received Chief of the Pakistani Army’s Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Committee, Lieutenant-General Nadeem Raza, on Sunday, in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Defense Mohamed Zaki, and the Pakistani Ambassador in Cairo.
Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady said Al-Sisi asserted the importance of exchanging experiences with Pakistan in various fields of common interest. He explained that, in order, to compact the extremist ideology, it is important to unite joint efforts to clarify and disseminate the principles of the religion, supporting acceptance of others, and peaceful coexistence. Al-Sisi also affirmed Egypt’s appreciation for Pakistan’s role as a pivotal country in the region.
General Raza conveyed the greetings of the Pakistani President and Prime Minister, stressing the depth of the relations between the two countries and their people.
He confirmed his country’s aspiration to open new horizons for fruitful cooperation with Egypt, stressing that Egypt’s stability is a pillar for the Middle East region’s stability, and that of the Islamic world as a whole. He further asserted Egypt’s important role in achieving a cease-fire between Palestine and Israel, and its initiative to start a reconstruction program in Gaza.
The meeting also tackled ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Pakistan, especially in the security and military fields. The cooperation will include mutual visits of military leaders, in addition to holding a joint defense committee, and cooperation in the field of defense and military industries. Both Egyptian and Pakistani military forces will also hold joint training programs.
For his part, Lieutenant-General Muhammad Zaki, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production, also met on Sunday (photo), the visiting Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) of the Pakistani Armed Forces General Nadeem Raza, and his accompanying delegation.
The meeting dealt with the latest developments on the regional and international arenas, as well as a number of issues of common interest in the fields of military cooperation, and the transfer and exchange of experiences between the Egyptian and Pakistani armed forces.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces affirmed Egypt’s pride in its solid relations with the State of Pakistan, and the keenness of the General Command of the Armed Forces to enhance cooperation and partnership in various military and security fields.
The Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) of the Pakistani Armed Forces also affirmed his country’s keenness to support prospects of military cooperation with Egypt during the next stage, and his deep appreciation for the efforts of the Egyptian armed forces in all fields.
On Saturday, General Nadeem Raza paid an official visit to Jordan. According to the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), General Raza met his Jordanian counterpart Major General Yousef Ahmed.
Both sides deliberated on various areas of interest including security, defense cooperation and the prevailing regional environment. They also dilated upon measures to enhance the level and scope of military engagements between both countries and reaffirmed to continue to forge deeper ties.
General Raza said that Pakistan is keen to expand its existing bilateral military-to-military cooperation with Jordan.
In recognition of his efforts to further bilateral relations, General Raza was awarded Jordan’s highest military award - Order of Military Merit of the First Grade - on behalf of King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein.
General Raza also visited King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre and witnessed a counter-terrorism exercise by the Special Forces Group of Jordan Air Force.
Earlier on arrival, General Raza was presented Guard of Honor by a contingent of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF).
