US exempts $320 million in military aid to Egypt from human rights conditions

The US State Department has exempted more than $320 million in military aid to Egypt from human rights-related conditions, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Citing a letter to Congress, Reuters said the State Department had waived the human rights conditions on the aid in recognition of the “helpful role” played by Cairo since the United States launched its war on Iran.

According to an accompanying memorandum justifying the decision, the aid was deemed “necessary for counterterrorism, border security or non-proliferation programmes, or otherwise important to US national security interests”.

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The memorandum, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said: “Exercising this waiver authority is essential ​for the US-Egypt relationship and US national security priorities, particularly in light of Egypt’s helpful role following Operation Epic Fury,” 

Epic Fury is the name used by the US military for the war against Iran launched jointly by Washington and Israel on 28 February.

The State Department memorandum did not specify the nature of Egypt’s “helpful” role.

Egypt began receiving substantial US aid after signing a peace treaty with Israel in 1979 and has received about $1.3 billion in US military aid annually since the late 1980s.

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