MOSCOW, September 18 (RIA Novosti) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi appreciates the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) support in his country's transition toward democracy, WAM news agency reported on Thursday.
"Egypt highly values the UAE's stance as 'critical and supportive' for Egypt's transition towards democracy and protection of values of the Egyptian State and people,'' WAM quoted the statement, which was released after Sisi's meeting with Gen. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Nahyan, Abu Dhabi crown prince and UAE Armed Forces deputy supreme commander, as saying.
Nahyan also promised to support Egypt further as it is a strategically important part of the region.
In August, Egypt's Oil Ministry confirmed that the UAE would provide Egypt with petroleum products worth $8.7 billion over a one-year period .
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have together provided Egypt with more than $20 billion in grants, loans and petroleum products since Morsi's overthrow, according to Reuters.
Egypt has struggled to curb its swelling budget deficit and meet soaring energy demands, which has resulted in daily electricity cuts as crisis hit the country after mass protests in the summer of 2013.
Following a string of mass protests in July 2013, the Egyptian military ousted President Mohammed Morsi and declared the Muslim Brotherhood movement, which supported the overthrown leader, illegal.
In December 2013, Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist organization. A number of its members were convicted of inciting murders and violence. The group dismissed the charges as politically motivated.
Sisi has been Egypt's de-facto president since the July coup, and officially came into power in late May, after receiving a majority of more than 23 million votes.
He promised supporters to carry out major economic reforms, as well as to construct more than 20 industrial cities, 26 tourist centers and eight new airports.
