IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper met with Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Mohamad Zaki today at the Pentagon to reaffirm the defense relationship between the United States and Egypt.
The leaders discussed a broad range of defense issues, including counterterrorism, border and maritime security, security assistance, and security cooperation. Their discussion included ways to expand upon the deepened military cooperation over the last several years as well as addressing security concerns in the region, including threats emanating from Iran, Libya, and terrorists in the Sinai.
Secretary Esper reiterated the U.S. commitment to its strategic partnership and military to military cooperation with Egypt, noting Egypt's role as a bulwark against instability in the region.
Secretary Esper also thanked Gen. Zaki for efforts to energize the bilateral relationship and cooperation in countering transnational security threats.
This was Secretary Esper's first bilateral meeting with a foreign partner since his confirmation July 23, 2019.
