Egypt expressed its disappointment in the decision by the United States to deny $95.7 million in aid to the country and to further delay $195 million, adding that it may have a negative impact on common interests, according to a statement by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
The decision to reduce “some components of the economic portion [of US aid]” and to “postpone the disbursement of some military components” reflects a “misjudgement about the nature of strategic relations” which have bound the two countries for two decades, the statement read.
“Egypt sees this measure as reflecting poor judgment of the strategic relationship that ties the two countries over long decades and as adopting a view that lacks an accurate understanding of the importance of supporting Egypt’s stability,” the statement went on to say.
Sourced told Reuters on Tuesday that the US decision to cut aid came from Egypt’s failures on human rights issues and democratic norms.
Egypt receives $1.3 billion annually in military aid from the United States and nearly $250 million in economic assistance.
