Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi called for expanded military and security cooperation with Greece and Cyprus and stronger trilateral coordination among the three countries during separate meetings with the Greek and Cypriot defence ministers, which focused on security in the East Mediterranean, counterterrorism, and irregular migration.
Al-Sisi received Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias in the presence of Egyptian Defence Minister Ashraf Salem Zaher and senior military officials from both countries, stressing the importance of developing the strategic partnership between Cairo and Athens, particularly in the areas of defence and military cooperation.
Egyptian presidency spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said Al-Sisi described the Egypt-Greece-Cyprus trilateral mechanism as an important framework for regional cooperation and called for continued coordination to address shared security challenges and support stability and development in the East Mediterranean.
Dendias said Greece wanted to strengthen coordination with Egypt on counterterrorism and irregular migration and expressed appreciation for Cairo’s role in limiting irregular migration flows, according to the Egyptian presidency.
In a separate meeting with Cypriot Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, Al-Sisi called for deeper strategic ties between Cairo and Nicosia, particularly in the security and military fields, while also stressing the importance of the trilateral mechanism with Greece.
Al-Sisi said trilateral cooperation could help reinforce security, stability, and economic development in the East Mediterranean. Palmas said Cyprus wanted to maintain close coordination with Egypt over regional security challenges, according to the presidency.
The Cypriot minister also praised Egypt’s role in regional de-escalation efforts and in tackling irregular migration, and said Nicosia was seeking broader political, economic, and military cooperation with Cairo.
The meetings came shortly after a trilateral summit involving Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus in El Alamein, part of an established mechanism used by the three countries to coordinate on East Mediterranean security, energy, and regional connectivity.
