Title: U.S. Defense Secretary in Cairo: Purpose of Visit

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, today, Wednesday, coming from Baghdad, as part of a regional tour that includes Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel. Upon his arrival in Cairo, Austin stated that "the U.S.-Egypt defense partnership is an essential pillar of our commitment to this region." He added, "I’m here to strengthen our coordination on key issues and to pursue opportunities to deepen our long-standing bilateral partnership with Egypt." Austin is scheduled to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and several Egyptian officials before departing to Tel Aviv.