Donald Trump congratulates Egypt’s Sissi after ‘sham’ election

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi (left), Saudi King Salman grasp a glowing orb at the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, in Riyadh, in May 2017. Photo Credit: AP

US President Donald Trump has congratulated Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on his landslide reelection victory, the White House says – an election critics derided as a sham that all but guarantees Sissi a second term in office.

The statement is another signal of the Trump administration’s stated goal to improve relations with Egypt after his predecessor Barack Obama declined to invite Sissi to the White House because of concerns about his human rights record.

It comes shortly after Trump faced widespread pushback for congratulating another foreign leader, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who similarly won a race that was broadly criticised as neither free nor fair.

“The two leaders affirmed the strategic partnership between the United States and Egypt, and noted that they look forward to advancing this partnership and addressing common challenges,” the White House said Monday in a statement.

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Source: News Now | Stuff World

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