Italy advances arms deals with Egypt despite opposition
As Egypt becomes one of the world's largest importers of arms, Italy is seeking to sign additional arms deals with the North African country despite sour bilateral relations in light of Egypt’s human rights record.
It seems Italy has insisted on carrying on with arms deals with Egypt despite the tensions that have marked their bilateral relations following the 2016 death of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which monitors the world’s arms transfers, said March 15 that in 2020 Egypt had received 25 of 50 Aster-15 missiles ordered as part of an arms deal with Italy.
The Aster-15 is a medium-range vertically launched surface-to-air missile designed to offer defense for warships. This type of missile is used on FREMM frigates.
Giorgio Beretta, an analyst for the Permanent Observatory on Small Arms, Security, and Defense Policies based in Brescia in Italy, told Al-Monitor that the missile deal is part of a larger agreement on the sale of two Bergamini-class FREMM frigates that the Italian government gave the green light to in August.
