El-Sisi Tours Asia, U.K.

In an effort to promote bilateral cooperation and project greater legitimacy for his regime, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, India, and the U.K. last week. During his trip he met with the head of state of each country, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The  Egyptian government portrayed el-Sisi’s trip as an attempt to “boost cooperation with all people of the world's countries.” El-Sisi also sought to increase trade and investment prospects between the countries, including a $100 million trade deal that is in the works between Egypt and Bahrain.

In India, el-Sisi participated in the third India-Africa Summit. He focused on the issues of increased trade and development, with an emphasis on the Suez Canal Corridor.

El-Sisi’s invitation to the U.K., was met with controversy. Protesters and prominent figures denounced the visit, claiming that the Prime Minister should not meet with the leader of a country where only a few years earlier, Cameron had welcomed the possibility of democracy in the wake of the Arab Spring. The Guardian published an open letter, signed by many prominent figures, urging the British government to cancel the visit. In spite of the protests, the trip went forward, and Cameron met with el-Sisi as planned.

Despite the controversy over his trip to the U.K., el-Sisi’s meetings with world leaders increased the legitimacy of his regime on the international stage in addition to extending his power within the Middle East.