Saudi deputy crown prince and defense minister Mohammad Bin Salman met with Egyptian president Abdul Fattah Al Sissi Thursday in Cairo where they signed the ‘Cairo declaration’ to enhance mutual cooperation between the two countries.
“The two sides stressed the need to exert all efforts to boost security and stability in the region, and to work together to protect Arab national security,” Sisi’s office said after the signing.
Riyadh has emerged as a key supporter of Sisi since the then-army chief ousted Morsi two years ago, offering $4 billion to help kick-start an economy battered by years of political turmoil.
And Egypt has backed Riyadh’s air campaign against Shiite rebels in Yemen, regularly saying it shares a common vision with Riyadh on tackling the crisis there.
Cairo had previously said it would also be prepared to commit ground troops if required. The new Cairo-Riyadh pact also backs building a new joint Arab military force to fight terrorism in the region.
Also Thursday, the United States began delivery of eight F-16 fighter jets to Egypt, according to its embassy in Cairo, the first since Washington fully lifted in March a freeze on arms delivery.
The operation comes as Secretary of State John Kerry’s prepares to visit Cairo for a “strategic dialogue” Sunday amid a warming in ties that were strained after the army ousted Morsi.
Following the overthrow of Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected leader, Washington froze $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt.
It fully resumed assistance in March, and Cairo took delivery of two U.S. fast missile boats last month. Washington had already delivered 10 Apache helicopters in December.
The eight F-16 Block 52 jets “are being flown in directly from the United States, and will be immediately integrated into the Egyptian air force, joining its existing fleet of F-16 aircraft,” the embassy said.
All eight from this first batch will arrive by Friday, with four more to be delivered later this year.
“The F-16s provide a valuable capability that is needed during these times of regional instability,” the statement quoted senior embassy defense official Maj. Gen. Charles Hooper as saying.
“Extremists threaten regional security and these weapon systems provide a new tool to help Egypt fight terrorism.”
Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been close allies since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
However, there have been reports of rising tensions between Cairo and Riyadh after the chief of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas Khaled Meshaal visited the Kingdom last week and met Saudi King Salman.
Relations between Cairo and Hamas, an offshoot of Egypt’s now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, have soured since Morsi’s ouster, with officials accusing the group of aiding militants in North Sinai.
Hamas has repeatedly distanced itself from such claims.
