Mohamed Bin Salman will visit Egypt at the start of his first trip abroad as heir to the Saudi throne. The trip will also lead him to London, Paris and Washington.
Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman will spend two days in the Egyptian capital for high-level meetings with President Fattah al-Sisi who is taking part in March presidential election almost unchallenged.
Riyadh has been a pillar of support for the Sisi regime, which toppled in 2013 the country’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi who is currently battling court cases on many charges, including espionage.
An Egyptian source told London-based The New Arab at talks will focus on regional nemesis Iran, the conflict in Yemen, counter-terrorism and energy cooperation.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia, under Sisi, have developed strong ties and have been cooperating on several fronts.
Both countries in addition to Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have severed ties with Qatar that they accuse of sponsoring terrorism.
Egypt also joined Saudi Arabia’s Pan-Arab coalition in Yemen in the nearly three-year old conflict, which claimed lives of around 10,000 people.
After his Cairo stop, the young Crown Prince is expected in London on March 7 for talks with Prime Minister Therasa May. The 32-year royal will then fly to Paris before winding up his international tour in Washington on March 19.
