Egypt and Qatar are boosting their military cooperation, focusing on joint training and the exchange of expertise. Both countries have agreed to coordinate efforts to address regional challenges.

According to a statement by the Egyptian military spokesperson on Saturday, Egypt’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa met with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah during an official visit to Qatar.

The meeting covered several topics of mutual interest and underlined “a shared vision regarding developments and the challenges facing regional security, and the importance of coordinating efforts and working together to tackle these challenges.”

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been leading mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza. In November 2023, they successfully brokered the first ceasefire, but a second agreement has faced difficulties amid ongoing negotiations.

During the meeting, Qatar’s Chief of Staff expressed his country’s commitment to expanding military cooperation with Egypt in the future.

Since the normalization of relations between Cairo and Doha in 2021, the partnership between the two countries has grown, supported by high-level reciprocal visits.

This renewed cooperation has also positively impacted the economic sector. Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly commended Qatar’s announcement in March 2022 of a $5 billion investment in an interview with Qatar News Agency last year.

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,Dr. Badr Abdelatty also emphasized during his visit to Qatar in late July the “significant transformation in Egyptian-Qatari relations over the past two years, with summit-level visits providing a strong boost across all areas.”

The Chiefs of Staff of Egypt and Qatar also visited the Al-Zaeem Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah Air Academy, where they were briefed on the college’s advanced capabilities and training systems for preparing Qatari pilots using the latest global standards.

Additionally, they visited the National Service Academy where they reviewed the academy’s role and operational system, which adopts scientific methods to prepare and qualify Qatari youth for various functions in national service.

Several senior officials from both the Egyptian and Qatari armed forces participated in the meetings and visits.