Egypt, Pakistan Agree to Boost Cooperation in Fight Against Terrorism, Extremism

Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Pakistan Agree to Boost Cooperation in Fight Against Terrorism, Extremism

Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President receives Pakistani Foreign Minister on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2021. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met on Wednesday with visiting Foreign Minister of Pakistan Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in the presence of Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry.

The two leaders discussed means of boosting security and economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as combining efforts to fight terrorism and extremism.

Qureshi conveyed to Sisi a message from Pakistani President Arif Alavi, inviting him to visit Pakistan and expressing Islam Abad's keenness to boost bilateral cooperation with Cairo.

The message also affirmed that the stability of Egypt is the pillar of stability in the Middle East and the Islamic world as a whole.

"Pakistan looks at the Egyptian development experience with appreciation and looks forward to benefiting from it in light of the similar situations in the two friendly countries and the common challenges facing them," the message read.

Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency said Sisi stressed that Egypt welcomes the development of bilateral cooperation and exchange of experience in various fields with Pakistan.

He also expressed Egypt’s keenness to enhance coordination and consultation with Pakistan on various regional issues of common interest, on top of which is combating terrorism and the extremist ideology.

The two leaders further highlighted means of exploring prospects for cooperation between Gwadar Port in Pakistan and the Suez Canal Economic Zone to establish industrial projects.

For his part, Shoukry also held separate talks with Qureshi.

"We've agreed to intensify cooperation in the coming stage to completely obliterate terrorism, whose confrontation requires consolidating international efforts," Shoukry told reporter in a joint press conference with Qureshi following their talks.



Lebanon Army Receives Additional $20 Mln from Qatar in Support to Troops

27 June 2024, Lebanon, Jounieh: Lebanese army soldiers from the airborne brigade secure an area as medics help civilians acting as dead and injured of an attack during a drill carried by the Lebanese army, Red Cross and Civil defense in the town of Jounieh, north of Beirut.  Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
27 June 2024, Lebanon, Jounieh: Lebanese army soldiers from the airborne brigade secure an area as medics help civilians acting as dead and injured of an attack during a drill carried by the Lebanese army, Red Cross and Civil defense in the town of Jounieh, north of Beirut. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
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Lebanon Army Receives Additional $20 Mln from Qatar in Support to Troops

27 June 2024, Lebanon, Jounieh: Lebanese army soldiers from the airborne brigade secure an area as medics help civilians acting as dead and injured of an attack during a drill carried by the Lebanese army, Red Cross and Civil defense in the town of Jounieh, north of Beirut.  Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
27 June 2024, Lebanon, Jounieh: Lebanese army soldiers from the airborne brigade secure an area as medics help civilians acting as dead and injured of an attack during a drill carried by the Lebanese army, Red Cross and Civil defense in the town of Jounieh, north of Beirut. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa

The Lebanese army has received an additional $20 million from Qatar in support of Lebanese troops, Lebanon's state agency NNA said on Monday.

The support comes at a crucial time, with the Israeli military and Hezbollah trading fire across Lebanon's southern border in parallel with the Gaza war. The Lebanese army is not involved in the hostilities but one Lebanese soldier was killed by Israeli shelling in December.

A security source told Reuters that the new Qatari aid was a continuation of an earlier
$60 million package announced in 2022 that was distributed in installments to soldiers to support their salaries.

The source said $100 would be distributed to each soldier every month.

A five-year economic meltdown has slashed the value of the Lebanese pound against the dollar, driving down most soldiers' wages to less than $100 per month.

The amount is barely enough to afford a basic subscription to a generator service that could offset the 22-hour cuts in the state electricity grid.

To supplement their low salaries, many troops have taken extra jobs and some have quit, raising concerns that the institution - one of few in Lebanon that can rally national pride and create unity across its fractured sectarian communities - could be fraying.