Egypt's Foreign Minister embarks on a several day visit to Washington on Tuesday, the first since the election of Donald Trump as US president. FM Sameh Shoukry will be meeting with his counterpart John Kerry as well as several congressmen, Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu-Zeid announced. The visit aims to "promote Egyptian-American relations" and "present Egypt's vision on regional issues." Shoukry will discuss with Kerry US aid to Egypt and the country's economic reform programme, said Abu-Zeid. Earlier this month, Egypt freely floated the Egyptian pound as part of a set of reforms aimed at alleviating a dollar shortage and stabilising the country's flagging economy. The government's economic reform programme includes cutting subsidies and a value-added tax. Last week, Egypt received an initial $2.75 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the board's approval of a $12 billion loan to the country to be delivered over three years. Crises in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will be discussed in the meetings as well as efforts to combat terrorism. Shoukry will also be meeting with UN General Secretary-designate Antonio Guterres in New York. During a meeting between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump in September, the then-Republican candidate said "under a Trump Administration, the United States of America will be a loyal friend – not simply an ally – that Egypt can count on in the days and years ahead." El-Sisi invited the US president-elect to visit Cairo.
