From Tuesday 20 to Wednesday 21, August 2024, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), General Dimitrios Houpis, paid an official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt at the invitation of his counterpart, the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathi Ibrahim Khalifa.
During his visit on Tuesday, the Chief of the HNDGS visited the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Agios Georgios in Cairo, the seat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He met with His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, and discussed issues of mutual interest, focusing on the Patriarchate’s significant pastoral and missionary efforts across the continent.
After his visit to the Patriarchate, he met with the Ambassador of Greece to Egypt, Mr. Nikolaos Papageorgiou, with whom they discussed the current developments in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and the relations between the two countries.
On Wednesday August 21 2024, an official reception took place at the Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Egypt. The Chief of the HNDGS was received by General Abdel Mageed Saqr, Commander in Chief, Minister of Defense and Military Production, where they discussed current international and regional developments as well as security challenges Greece and Egypt face in the East Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East.
Afterwards, the Chief of the HNDGS met with his counterpart Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathi Ibrahim Khalifa, discussing issues of common interest. Emphasis was given on the current geopolitical situation, the increasing military cooperation between Greece and Egypt and ways of further enhancing it. Finally, they addressed the role of the Armed Forces of the 2 countries in consolidating security and stability in the wider region.
The meeting ended with a ceremony of wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by a guided tour of the Museum of Egyptian Culture followed, where the Chief of the HNDGS had the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Egypt.
