Egypt’s leader makes surprise visit to Saudi Arabia

By SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — The leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia have met in the Gulf kingdom in the first face-to-face discussions between the two men in months as the North African country battles a domestic economic crisis. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, held talks late Sunday that focused on ties between the two Middle Eastern heavyweights. That’s according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy. The surprise visit came as el-Sissi’s government is struggling to overcome an economic crisis blamed on the war in Europe, but also on mismanagement of the economy. The two countries also seek to mend their frayed ties with other regional powers, including Iran and Turkey.