General Joseph L. Votel, the newly appointed Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), held a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo. This marks General Votel's first visit to Egypt since taking over as CENTCOM Commander on March 30, 2016.
During his visit, General Votel also met with Minister of Defense Sedky Sobhy and Ministry of Defense Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy. The discussions focused on cooperation in combating terrorism both within Egypt and across the region. General Votel expressed continued U.S. support for Egypt and emphasized his commitment to enhancing military ties between the two nations.
Prior to leading CENTCOM, General Votel was the Commanding General of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. The CENTCOM area of responsibility includes 20 countries across the Middle East, Central, and South Asia.