The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it will continue providing military aid to Egypt, despite acknowledging that the country’s human rights record has not improved. The decision to limit the amount of aid withheld was based on U.S. national security interests and the need to support regional stability and international efforts in Ukraine.
Egypt has been a major recipient of U.S. military aid since signing a peace deal with Israel in 1979. However, in recent years, Congress has imposed restrictions on a portion of the aid to pressure Egyptian leaders to address human rights abuses.
While rights groups and some congressional Democrats have called for a tougher stance on Egypt’s human rights issues, others argue that strategic interests should take priority. The Biden administration’s decision has disappointed international rights advocates who believe it aligns with a long history of supporting oppressive leaders in the Middle East for the sake of stability.
Despite the decision, the U.S. officials emphasized that they will continue to push the Egyptian government for reforms and address the ongoing human rights violations. Egypt’s government under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has faced criticism for arbitrary killings, torture, detention, and repression of civil society, free press, and free expression.
Earlier this year, Egypt released some political detainees, but many other journalists, activists, and their family members have been detained since then. The U.S. decision on military aid to Egypt has become an annual assessment of the country’s progress on human rights and a test of how much pressure U.S. administrations and Congress are willing to exert on the issue.
This year, $320 million of rights-conditioned aid was allocated for Egypt. The Biden administration will withhold $85 million due to the lack of progress on specific rights issues, including political prisoners. However, the administration has chosen to exercise a waiver for the remaining $235 million based on U.S. national security interests.
The decision does not indicate that the U.S. believes Egypt has made improvements in human rights. Officials maintain that the aid is necessary to continue diplomatic efforts and keep pressure on the Egyptian government for change.
While the decision has drawn criticism for not prioritizing human rights, it reflects the complex considerations involved in balancing strategic interests and promoting democratic values on the international stage.
Overall, the U.S. is maintaining its military aid to Egypt despite the lack of improvement in human rights, citing national security interests and regional stability as key factors in the decision.
