Sisi, Trump give opening remarks before White House meeting

CAIRO – 3 April 2017: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi asserted Egypt’s support for American President Donald Trump in his fight against terrorism during opening remarks prior to a meeting between the two leaders in the White House Monday.

Trump started the meeting, broadcast in Egypt by ON TV, by praising his Egyptian counterpart for his effective role in fighting terrorism in Egypt. He said Sisi is doing a “fantastic job” given the situation, adding that Sisi has been “close” to him since his election campaign days back in September.

Trump asserted his support for the Egyptian president and the Egyptian people, adding that Egypt and the U.S. should broaden their military cooperation to meet their common goals in fighting terrorism.

Sisi responded by expressing his gratitude and appreciation for the American president’s invitation to visit the U.S., adding that this is his first official visit to Washington since taking office; it is also the first official visit of an Egyptian president to America since former President Hosni Mubarak met Barak Obama in the White House in August 2009.

Sisi praised Trump’s “determination” to set a strategy seeking to eliminate terrorism and asserted Egypt’s “support for [Trump’s] strategy to defeat terrorism.“