Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised US President-elect Donald Trump and said he expected greater engagement in the Middle East from his administration, in an interview with Portuguese media.

“Personally I respect and appreciate” Trump, Sisi said according to an English translation of his remarks to Portuguese news agency LUSA published on Saturday.

“I believe that President-elect Trump will be more rigorously engaged with the issues of the region,” he said.

“As a matter of fact President-elect Trump has shown deep and great understanding of what is taking place in the region as a whole and what is taking place in Egypt,” he added.

“That is why I am looking forward, and I am expecting more support and more reinforcement of our bilateral relations”.

Source: AFP