President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Cairo on September 20 for talks spanning Egypt-US strategic relations and a widening set of regional security challenges, with General Intelligence Service Director Hassan Rashad also attending. El-Sisi described Washington as a key political, security and economic partner, highlighting close bilateral coordination and praising President Donald Trump’s efforts to advance international peace and stability.
Ratcliffe conveyed Trump’s greetings and, according to the Egyptian Presidency, reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to close cooperation with Cairo in support of Middle East security and stability. He also praised Egypt’s role in efforts to reach peaceful and comprehensive settlements to regional crises.
Iran featured prominently in the discussions. El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s support for efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement resolving the Iranian crisis, restoring regional security and stability and safeguarding freedom of international navigation. He reiterated Cairo’s support for the security and sovereignty of Arab states and its rejection of aggression against them, arguing that regional crises should be addressed through political and diplomatic channels while preserving state institutions and territorial integrity.
The talks also focused on Gaza, where El-Sisi called for full implementation of the second phase of Trump’s plan to consolidate the ceasefire and welcomed mediation efforts towards an implementation roadmap. The White House said in January that Phase Two of its 20-point Gaza plan had begun, establishing structures covering governance, security, reconstruction and humanitarian delivery. Rashad is among the members named by Washington to the Gaza Executive Board.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s priorities of maintaining the ceasefire, protecting civilians and ensuring adequate and unrestricted humanitarian aid, while creating conditions for a renewed political process leading towards a settlement based on international legitimacy and the two-state solution. Ratcliffe, according to the Presidency, praised Egypt’s role in achieving the Gaza ceasefire and its continuing efforts to advance the peace process and regional stability.
Sudan formed another central part of the discussions. El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s support for the country’s unity and stability and for preserving its national institutions, describing Sudanese sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity as non-negotiable. He also stressed Cairo’s participation in regional and international efforts to end the war, ease humanitarian suffering and advance a political settlement.
On Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, El-Sisi reaffirmed support for efforts to strengthen security and stability while rejecting any infringement of Somali sovereignty or territorial integrity. Ratcliffe was reported by the Presidency as expressing US appreciation for Egypt’s role in African security and backing continued consultation on Sudan, Somalia, the Horn of Africa and international maritime security.
The meeting also highlighted established cooperation between the CIA and Egypt’s General Intelligence Service in intelligence and security, counterterrorism, organised crime and transnational crime. The two sides discussed continued exchanges of assessments and intelligence concerning terrorist organisations, geopolitical risks and other regional and international developments affecting security and stability.
The Presidency announced no new agreement or bilateral mechanism following the talks. The significance instead lay in the breadth of the agenda: Iran, Gaza, Sudan, Somalia and maritime security were addressed through the same Egypt-US strategic and intelligence channel.
For Cairo, these theatres increasingly intersect across geography, security and international navigation—from Gaza and Sudan to the Horn of Africa and the waterways linking the Red Sea to global trade. The Ratcliffe meeting therefore underlined Egypt’s position within several overlapping US regional-security consultations, while showing how intelligence coordination is increasingly operating alongside diplomacy as Washington and Cairo navigate crises extending from the Middle East into Africa.
Related news:
Egypt, Eritrea Reaffirm Coordination on Red Sea Security and Horn of Africa Stability
Egypt, Eritrea Reaffirm Coordination on Red Sea Security and Horn of Africa Stability
Read also:
Egypt, China’s CETC Partner to Localise Communications Equipment Manufacturing
Egypt, Montenegro Sign Maritime Pact to Deepen Trade and Strategic Cooperation
