US releases some military aid to Egypt amid human rights concerns
The administration is providing Egypt with $170 million in military assistance that Congress had made contingent on the country improving its rights record.
The Biden administration will withhold some but not all of Egypt’s annual military aid that Congress had conditioned on the country making human rights improvements, disappointing many Democratic lawmakers and rights groups who said the decision undermines President Joe Biden’s past promises on holding the partner to account.
At $1.3 billion, Egypt trails Israel as the second-largest recipient of US military assistance each year. In its annual appropriations legislation, Congress made the release of $300 million for the coming year contingent on Egypt meeting certain human rights benchmarks.
