French President Francois Hollande arrived in Cairo on Sunday for a two-day official visit and was received by his Egyptian counterpart President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi at Cairo International Airport.
The Elysee said on Twitter that the French-built Rafale fighter planes, which were purchased by the Egyptian army, escorted Hollande's plane as it approached Cairo.
The visit aims at boosting economic ties between the two countries, with both presidents expected to sign agreements in a number of fields and projects, including electricity, generating renewable energy, the Cairo metro and sewage system projects.
The two presidents will also discuss the civil conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen, as well as the French initiative for the Middle East process peace, according to a statement by Egypt's State Information Service.
Hollande's visit to Cairo comes as part of a Middle East tour that includes visits to Jordan and Lebanon.
The French president last visited Egypt in August 2015 when he attended the inauguration of the New Suez Canal.
Hollande’s visit will also include meetings with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al, local civil society figures and French expats.
Egypt and France have signed several arms deals in the past two years.
