US waives human-rights condition on $320M in military aid to Egypt

The US State Department has announced it waived human-rights conditions on $320 million in military aid to Egypt for fiscal year 2025.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio waived the human-rights certification requirement on $320 million in military financing for Egypt for fiscal year 2025.
• Rubio's memorandum said the waiver was necessary for US-Egypt relations and national-security priorities, citing Egypt's role after Operation Epic Rage, the US war with Iran.
• A State Department spokesperson said the decision underscores the importance of security cooperation with Egypt amid regional security challenges.
• Egypt has received about $1.3 billion in annual US military aid since the late 1980s.
• Rubio asked Congress to lift the restrictions on the $320 million, citing anti-terrorism, border-security and non-proliferation priorities as vital to US national interests.
• An informed source welcomed the U.S. government's request to Congress to release the withheld $320 million in military aid to Egypt.