Cyprus and Egypt will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation on Aeronautical Search and Rescue.

According to a press release issued by the Public Information Office (PIO), the memorandum will be signed during the official visit of the Arab Republic of Egypt’s Minister of Defence, General Sedki Sobhy which begins tomorrow.

During Sobhy’s visit, the two countries will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation on Aeronautical Search and Rescue, after concluding the consultations between the two countries which began in 2015. Cyprus and Egypt signed a defence agreement in 2015, while annual programmes of bilateral military cooperation have been signed and have been implemented in 2015 and 2016.

According to PIO, Sobhy’s visit marks the second official visit by an Egyptian Defence Minister since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus (the first took place in 2015), a fact that marks the great progress achieved in the relations of the two countries.

During his stay in Cyprus, the Egyptian Defence Minister, accompanied by an Egyptian army delegation, will meet with his Cypriot counterpart, will be received by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and will visit units of the Cyprus National Guard.

On Wednesday Greek Minister of Defence Panos Kammenos will be in Cyprus to take part in the first Tripartite Meeting of Defence Ministers between Cyprus, Greece and Egypt to be held on Thursday, December 14.