CAIRO, Oct 10 (Aswat Masriya) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is scheduled to arrive in Cairo on Saturday, joining a delegation of 63 diplomats who arrived yesterday to prepare for Valls’ two-day visit.

Upon his arrival, Valls is set to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail. The meetings will see the signing of economic and defence agreements between the two sides.

Valls visit to Cairo comes in response to a May invitation from Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb.

Developments in the Middle East, especially the situation in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Palestinian territories, will be discussed during the meetings.

Valls will also attend the signing ceremony of the two Mistral helicopter carriers deal, which was announced in September.

Egypt signed a EUR 5 billion deal to purchase 24 fighter jets and a multi-mission frigate from France in February.

In July Egypt received the frigate and the first batch of fighter jets which comprised three Rafale fighter jets.

Sisi visited France in November 2014 and activated a deal on French investments and projects in Egypt worth EUR 796 million.

French President Francois Hollande visited Egypt in August to attend the inauguration of the New Suez Canal project.