Like Obama, Trump confirms Egypt as his first stop in Africa

U.S. President Donald Trump has disclosed that Egypt will be his first stop on an African visit. His immediate predecessor, Barack Obama also visited Egypt as his first stop on the continent.

Trump who took office on January 20 has largely operated in Washington until last Friday when he flew out on his first foreign visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He said on Sunday that he hoped to visit Egypt, after meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

“I will get to Egypt. We will be putting that on the schedule soon,” he said. He said Sisi had “done a tremendous job under trying circumstances.”

Great to be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Looking forward to the afternoon and evening ahead. #POTUSAbroad pic.twitter.com/JJOra0KfyR

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2017

The Egyptian leader was also the first African leader to meet Trump at the White House during a visit in April this year.

The Saudi meeting was under the aegis of the Arab Islamic American Summit, 37 heads of state and at least six prime ministers were present at the two-day summit in Riyadh.

Obama’s first African trip, June 2009 – Egypt

The trip to Egypt was Obama’s 10th since he took office. He arrived in the capital, Cairo on June 4, 2009.

Obama delivered a speech at the Cairo University; titled ‘A new beginning.’ It centered on the need for improved mutual understanding and relations between the Islamic world and the West and said both should do more to confront violent extremism.

He also called for peace between Israel and Palestinians. Obama reaffirmed America’s “unbreakable” alliance with Israel, and described Palestinian statelessness as “intolerable.”

Afterwards, he held talks with the then President Hosni Mubarak and also visited the Sultan Hassan mosque before leaving the land of the Pyramids.