US Secretary of Defense Mattis arrives in Cairo

CAIRO –  U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has arrived in Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials and discuss cooperation before heading on to Jordan, Pakistan and Kuwait.

According to a statement by the Department of Defense, Mattis' visit to Cairo on Saturday is part of a trip "to re-affirm the enduring U.S. commitment to partnership in the Middle East, West Africa and South Asia."

Mattis is scheduled to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi.

Egypt is among the top recipients of U.S. military assistance, receiving nearly $1.3 billion annually in addition to $250 million in economic aid. That assistance is linked to Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and underpins a U.S.-Egyptian security relationship that is now mostly aimed at fighting terrorism.

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