AP, 24 October 2017— Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is meeting with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during a three-day visit to France focusing on economic cooperation and the fight against extremism.

Macron and al-Sisi are expected to make a joint statement at the Elysee palace on Tuesday.

French authorities see Egypt as a key country in efforts to stabilize the troubled region.

Egypt has been struggling to contain an Islamic militant insurgency led by a local affiliate of ISIS group mostly in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula.

Egypt has concluded several arms deals with France since 2015, including the purchase of two French-made Mistral-class helicopter carriers, 24 French Rafale warplanes and missiles.