Commander of the Egyptian Navy Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled received on Saturday 14/08/2021 Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and US Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan Cohen who are visiting the Berenice Naval Base.
During a tour of the base, they were posted on its various facilities, amenities and capabilities.
This comes as part of the Guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) visit to Berenice Naval Base, marking the first time a U.S. warship has pulled into the Red Sea base, which officially opened in January 2020.
During the visit, the US officials hailed the Egyptian base and its capabilities to secure the security of the Red Sea as well as the movement of vessels in the Suez Canal and nearby straits.
Earlier, Ambassador Cohen noted: “This visit exemplifies the strength of U.S.-Egyptian maritime cooperation. Together we are combating smuggling, trafficking, and piracy, and ensuring safety at sea.”
In April, Egypt became the 34th member of CMF, an enduring multinational coalition formed in 2002 and committed to upholding the rules-based international order by countering illicit non-state actors, safeguarding freedom of navigation, and promoting security, stability, and prosperity.
Source: State Information Service Egypt