Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias held a meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, to discuss ways to enhance military and defence cooperation between their countries. The Egyptian presidency stated that the two officials sought to deepen their strategic partnership. The meeting was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher.
During the meeting, El-Sisi emphasized the importance of the Egyptian-Greek strategic partnership, describing it as pivotal. He stressed the need to develop bilateral ties across all fields, particularly in defence and military cooperation, to serve the interests of both nations. The Greek delegation, which included Ambassador to Egypt Nikolaos Papageorgiou and Major General Ioannis Kouris, expressed Greece's appreciation for the longstanding historical ties between the two countries.
The meeting came days after Egypt and Greece participated in the Medusa-15 exercise, a joint military drill that brought together naval, air, air-defence, reconnaissance, and special forces units from Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, France, and Italy. The main phase of the drills was held aboard the Egyptian helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser and included air, naval, and amphibious operations. This exercise highlights the growing military cooperation between Egypt and Greece.
El-Sisi and Dendias also discussed trilateral cooperation among Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, which El-Sisi described as a successful model of regional coordination. The three countries have been working together to promote peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean. They have discussed maritime security, energy cooperation, and regional crises during their latest trilateral summit held in Egypt this September.
Dendias conveyed greetings from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to El-Sisi and expressed Greece's commitment to strengthening coordination with Cairo in addressing shared challenges, particularly terrorism and irregular migration. He praised Egypt's role in curbing irregular migration. Egypt and Greece elevated their relations by signing a Strategic Partnership Declaration in Athens in May 2025, alongside agreements covering energy, trade, investment, and labour mobility.
The two countries have been working together on various fronts, including energy, trade, migration, technology, and regional security. During separate talks earlier this month, El-Sisi and Mitsotakis reviewed cooperation in these areas. Egypt's role in the region has been significant, with the country working to address common challenges and advance development.
El-Sisi asked Dendias to convey his greetings to Mitsotakis, and the two officials reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their strategic partnership. The meeting between El-Sisi and Dendias reflects the growing ties between Egypt and Greece, with both countries seeking to enhance their cooperation in various fields.
Key points
- Egypt and Greece are expanding military cooperation to address shared challenges.
- The two countries have signed a Strategic Partnership Declaration to enhance ties in energy, trade, investment, and labour mobility.
- Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus are working together to promote peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
