Egypt and the United Kingdom concluded on Tuesday a joint naval exercise in Alexandria as part of the two countries’ “wider defence partnership,” a UK embassy in Cairo’s statement read.
The UK flagship arrived in Alexandria on 15 October for the two-day exercise—the first UK flagship to visit Alexandria in eight years.
The exercises were attended by Egyptian military representatives, the British Ambassador to Egypt John Casson, the Embassy's Defence Attache and Deputy Defence Attache.
The programme of events included a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Sailor, a joint UK-Egypt dive, a capability demonstration at sea and a series of joint exercises and training, the statement added.
The joint exercises comes following a recent visit by UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to Cairo, in which the two countries decided to pursue deeper military cooperation.
“This week Britain and Egypt open a new page in the long and proud history of the two great navies. Events ebb and flow, but our shared interests are permanent and they demand constant partnership,” UK ambassador Casson said in a press conference in Alexandria.
Britain exports millions of dollars worth of arms to Egypt annually, with a large increase in export licences for weapons reported in 2015.
Britain is also the largest foreign, non-Arab investor in Egypt at $26 billion.
