CAIRO, June 22 (Aswat Masriya) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive in Cairo on Sunday and meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri is scheduled to attend the meeting with Kerry, who will hold a press conference later today, by the end of his visit. 

This counts as the first visit of an American official since Sisi, the former army chief, was inaugurated as Egypt's president

Ties between Washington and Cairo have deteriorated since the ouster of former President Mohamed Mursi, who hailed from the Muslim Brotherhood.

In reaction, the United States has withheld deliveries of tanks, fighter aircraft, helicopters and missiles as well as $260 million in cash aid pending Egypt's progress on democracy and human rights.

However, a U.S. Congress spending bill unveiled in January restores more than $1.5 billion in military and economic aid to Egypt, which is a decision that needs to be approved by Kerry for the funds to resume.