Washington blocks aid to Egypt

The US is to suspend a large part of the $1.5bn in aid it gives to Egypt every year as a result of the military takeover in July and the violent crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

A senior administration official did not provide an exact figure but said that the blocked aid, which mostly includes hardware for the Egyptian military, amounted to 'hundreds of millions of dollars'.


The decision represents a risky attempt by the administration to try to influence the future political path in Egypt following months of turmoil which have raised the prospect of a period of prolonged political violence.

However, the suspension of aid also risks damaging the US relationship with the Egyptian military which has been one of the cornerstones of US strategy in the Middle East since the 1978 Camp David Accords.

Category: