Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, on Monday to discuss developments in bilateral relations between the two nations, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported. El-Sisi arrived in the Emirati capital earlier on Monday as part of a two-day official visit, and was received by the crown prince and several senior UAE officials, Egyptian presidency spokesperson Alaa Youssef said. Both El-Sisi and bin Zayed stressed the distinguished strategic relations between the two countries and agreed to continue coordination in combating the unprecedented challenges that threaten the stability and the security of Arab nations. Egypt and the UAE maintain strong economic ties. In mid-August, the Emirati ambassador to Cairo announced that the UAE is among the biggest Arab investors in Egypt at $4.9 billion. On Monday, bin Zayed expressed his country's full support for Egypt's fight against terrorism. El-Sisi and the crown prince discussed their efforts to combat extremism, as well as the importance of the efforts of other Arab nations and of the wider international community, especially in stopping the funding and favorable media coverage of terrorist groups. The two leaders also discussed recent developments in the wider Middle East, including the need to confront attempts to destabilise Arab states and interfere in their domestic affairs. They also discussed intensifying joint action by Arab nations in order to meet the interests of their citizens. On 5 June, Egypt and the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar, suspending air and shipping routes to the Gulf state. The four nations claim Doha supports Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which Cairo accuses of terrorism and attempting to destabilise Egypt.
