CENTCOM commander meets Egypt’s Sisi in Cairo
The Navy admiral’s visit comes as Pentagon officials aim to draw the North African state closer to Washington’s orbit and coordinate multilateral efforts to deter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
WASHINGTON — Adm. Brad Cooper, the top US commander in the Middle East, met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and senior military officials in Cairo on Monday as part of his first regional tour since taking command of US Central Command (CENTCOM) last month.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry issued a statement saying the meeting included the country’s defense minister and head of military production, Col.-Gen. Abdel Mageed Saqr, and US Ambassador to Egypt Herro Mustafa Garg.
The discussions covered developments “in several countries in the region” as well as in the Gaza Strip, Egypt’s State Information Services said.
Why it matters: Cooper’s visit — his first to Cairo since ascending to the command of all American troops in the region on Aug. 8 — comes as Pentagon officials redouble efforts to bring Egypt into closer coordination with the US and its allies.
