Cairo: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production General Ashraf Salem Zaher held significant talks with key African and Arab military officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Guy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kabombo Muadiamvita, Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Tanzanian Minister of Defense and National Service Dr. Rhimo Simeon Nyansaho, and Central African Republic Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs Claude Rameaux Bireau.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meetings, which included Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Ahmed Khalifa and his counterparts from the respective countries, concentrated on matters of mutual interest and explored avenues for enhancing military cooperation across various fields. These discussions took place on the sidelines of the second edition of the Egypt International Airshow (EIAS 2026), which is being held in Alamein from September 8 to 10 under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

General Ahmed Khalifa also engaged in discussions with UAE Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Issa Saif bin Ablan Al Mazrouei and Bahraini Defence Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Theyab bin Saqr Abdullah Al Nuaimi. These meetings aimed to fortify cooperation and exchange expertise in different military domains in the forthcoming period. Attending these meetings were commanders from the Armed Forces' main branches and a number of senior military commanders and delegations accompanying the defense ministers and chiefs of staff.

In line with the Armed Forces General Command's efforts to oversee the exhibition's activities, the army commander-in-chief conducted an inspection tour of the exhibition halls, visiting several participating companies to review organizational arrangements and ensure all procedures were in place.

Concurrent with these events, the Egyptian Air Force organized the second scientific forum themed "The Future of Aviation and Space Technology" at the Heritage City in New Alamein. This forum was attended by the commander-in-chief, Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh El-Hefny, commanders of the Armed Forces' main branches, senior military commanders, official delegations from allied countries, experts, specialists, and representatives from major international aviation and space technology companies.

The forum featured panel discussions on the future of aviation and space technology, the latest developments in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and examined the opportunities and challenges facing the aviation, defense, and space sectors in Africa and the Middle East. During the exhibition, General Ashraf Salem Zaher extended President El Sisi's greetings and appreciation to Egypt's guests and all participants in the exhibition, highlighting the Armed Forces' dedication to keeping pace with rapid technological advancements in various fields and emphasizing the exhibition's role as a platform for innovation and collaboration in aviation and space sciences.