Amid concerns over human rights abuses in Egypt, the administration of US President Joe Biden has approved a 2.5 billion dollar’s arms sale to the country.
Last year, the US government cut off supplies of military equipment to Egypt due to its human rights record. Democrats in the US Congress have called for a halt to the protests this year. They say the human rights situation in Egypt is not at all consistent with the arms sales environment. That standard must be met if arms are to be sent from the United States to Cairo.
Hours later, the State Department announced on Tuesday that it had approved a 2.5 billion arms deal. The State Department has made it clear that the 1.3 billion in military aid withheld from the United States has nothing to do with the 2.5 billion arms sale.
The US State Department has approved the sale of 12 C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft and necessary military equipment and three radars worth 355 million to Egypt for 2.5 billion.
