NATO has boosted its ties with Egypt as the pact’s Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, Javier Colomina, visited Cairo from 12 to 15 January 2026 for meetings with Egyptian officials and regional organisations.
Colomina met Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Badr Abdelatty, and discussed NATO’s partnership with Egypt, including political dialogue and practical cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, demining and maritime security, the NATO press service announced in a statement on Friday.
They also discussed the possibility of strengthening relations as work continues on finalising the NATO–Egypt Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, a framework that sets out cooperation priorities between NATO and a partner country.
Regional developments affecting security in the Middle East and the Euro-Atlantic area were also on the agenda.
Colomina described Egypt as “a key partner for regional stability”, according to the statement.
Meetings with the Arab League and a NATO-recognised training centre
During the trip, Colomina met other senior Egyptian officials and delivered a keynote address to diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He also visited the headquarters of the League of the Arab States in Cairo and met the Assistant Secretary General and Chief of Staff, Hossam Zaki, to review developments in political dialogue between NATO and the League and discuss recent regional developments.
Colomina visited the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution Peacekeeping and Peacemaking — recognised by NATO as a Partnership Training and Education Centre — and met its Director, Seif Kandeel, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with the centre.
