President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s keenness to boost military and security cooperation with France in light of the growing challenges in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

During a meeting with French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly in Paris on Monday, El-Sisi called for bolstering Egypt-France relations in the field of weapon systems and programmes, the Egyptian presidency said.

El-Sisi highlighted the need to intensify bilateral coordination and cooperation in the face of challenges facing the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. 

Parly voiced France’s aspiration to consolidate military and security cooperation with Egypt, referring to Egypt’s pivotal role in achieving regional balance.

The meeting saw discussions on regional developments, focusing on efforts to combat terrorism and extremist organisations in the region.

El-Sisi had received Parly in Egypt in March to discuss boosting military cooperation. El-Sisi and Parly exchanged viewpoints on developments and joint efforts to reach political reconciliation in various ongoing crises in the Middle East.

El-Sisi met with French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday night and is currently in talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.