Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Zaqy Mohamad was in Cairo, Egypt for a working visit from 15 to 16 February 2025.

Mr Zaqy met the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development Affairs and Minister of Health and Population, Dr Khaled Abdelghaffar, and Egyptian Assistant Minister of Defence for Foreign Affairs, General Walaa Adel Bibers. He thanked Egypt for supporting the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)’s deployment of the Republic of Singapore Air Force Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) that delivered humanitarian aid to Gaza and the deployment of a medical team aboard the French hospital ship FS Dixmude to treat casualties from Gaza at Egypt’s El-Arish Port. They also discussed the regional security situation and explored areas for further collaboration between both countries, particularly in medical assistance to support the humanitarian efforts for Gaza. Mr Zaqy’s visit to Egypt underscores the warm and friendly defence relations between Singapore and Egypt.

Mr Zaqy also met with the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) Acting CEO Dr Amal Emam and visited the ERC’s operations centre. He was briefed on the ERC’s medical assistance and humanitarian efforts for Gaza and the challenges of operating in Gaza. Mr Zaqy extended Singapore’s gratitude for the ERC’s facilitation of Singapore’s delivery of humanitarian aid in November 2023 and discussed avenues where Singapore could collaborate with the ERC to provide further humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

As part of his visit, Mr Zaqy visited the New Administrative Capital Insurance Hospital and met with the General Director, Dr Ramzy Monir Abdelazim Mostafa, who briefed him on how hospitals in Egypt have been providing medical treatment and care for patients from Gaza. Mr Zaqy interacted with patients who were being treated in the hospital following injuries they sustained while in Gaza.