Nairobi: Acting on directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi on Monday, February 16, 2026, delivering a written message from the Egyptian leader during an official visit to Kenya. According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty conveyed El-Sisi's greetings and praised Nairobi's 'balanced policy' in support of security and development across the Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa. He also highlighted the recent upgrade of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and the signing of the Cairo Declaration during Ruto's visit to Egypt in late January 2025. The two sides discussed preparations for the eighth session of the joint committee in Cairo this year and ways to expand cooperation in defense, counterterrorism, water resources, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and maritime transport. They also explored boosting trade and Egyptian investments in Kenya. On the issue of water security, Abdelatty emphasized the importance of cooperation and consensus among Nile Basin states, rejecting unilateral measures and backing ongoing consultations within the Nile Basin Initiative framework. Water Resources Minister Hani Sewilam reaffirmed Egypt's readiness to deepen technical cooperation with Kenya in areas such as groundwater drilling, rainwater harvesting dams, modern irrigation systems, and capacity-building. He noted a new $100 million Egyptian financing mechanism to support dam projects in Southern Nile Basin countries. President Ruto asked that his greetings be conveyed to El-Sisi, commending Egypt's role in promoting stability in Africa and the Middle East and expressing Kenya's commitment to further advancing the strategic partnership.