Biden Administration Announces $197 Million Arms Deal with Egypt
Egyptian Streets
February 17, 2021
Egypt has reached an arms deal with the current US administration regarding the sale of $197 million worth of missiles and other military equipment, CNN reports. The deal was announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), according to Al Ahram Online.
The DSCA reportedly announced that the US State Department has approved the sale, which includes “rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) Block 2 Tactical Missiles and related equipment,” according to local media.
“The proposed sale will support the Egyptian Navy’s Fast Missile Craft ships and provide significantly enhanced area defense capabilities over Egypt’s coastal areas and approaches to the Suez Canal,” the press release said.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally country that continues to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East,” the statement added.
According to Sky News Arabia, the deal has yet to be finalized, but the DSCA has issued the documents necessary for notifying congress.
This comes after weeks of speculation on a potential shift in US foreign policy towards Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa with the election of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the US.
Under Biden’s predecessor, Republican President Donald Trump, relations between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and the former administration saw great rapprochement following a period of diplomatic strains under former US President Barack Obama.
Many observers and commentators projected that Egypt’s ties with the US would suffer under Biden, who had previously served as Vice President in the Obama administration.
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