CAIRO — As the American electorate prepares to choose its president, Egypt is paying close attention. The foreign policies that the new US administration adopts in the Middle East and Horn of Africa are especially impactful on Egypt’s national security and interests.

US-Egyptian relations have remained strong under successive US administrations for decades, regardless of the party occupying the White House. Washington has a number of shared interests with Cairo such as maintaining Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, viewed as a bulwark of stability in the Arab region and the Middle East.

Egypt also plays an important role in mediating solutions to regional conflicts and promoting peace in the Middle East, including conflicts in Sudan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the Palestinian territories and the Red Sea. Over the past year, Egypt alongside Qatar and the United States has served as a key mediator in talks to reach a deal for a cease-fire and hostage exchange to end the Gaza war.

Though the United States and Egypt have stable relations, there are differences over human rights that could imperil US security aid.