US Secretary of State holds meeting with Egyptian Youths at AUC in Cairo

CAIRO – 29 January 2023: The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, said that he chose Egypt as the start of his tour in the Middle East because his country shares a strategic partnership and distinguished bilateral relations with Egypt

In a meeting with a number of Egyptian youths at the headquarters of the American University in Cairo (AUC), he praised the AUC as an ancient institution that has witnessed the training and education of thousands of Egyptians and Americans.

He noted that young people nourish this strategic partnership and make it greater, especially Egypt is a young country with more than 60% of its population being young.

Blinken said that he was keen to meet with young people in the beginning of his visit to Egypt because the youth are the ones who will carry this bilateral relationship forward and it is necessary to listen to them as they are the leaders of the future.

The young people are the ones who will deal with the impacts of climate change, and they will have to find ways to promote sustainable growth and face the challenge of food security, he added.

The meeting was attended by a number of doctors, engineers, fashion designers, and workers in women's empowerment, sports, technology, art and culture. The meeting also tackled issues of climate change impact and women’s empowerment.

Blinken arrived in Cairo on Sunday in a two-day visit during which he will meet with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and senior Egyptian officials to advance the U.S.-Egypt strategic partnership and promote peace and security in the region, including through shared support for elections in Libya and the ongoing Sudanese-led political process, said the US embassy in Cairo said in a statement.

Additional reporting by Rabab Fathy