Egypt's Sisi wraps up Asia tour before UK visit

Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Bahrain on Thursday on the final stop of his tour of Asia, which kicked off on Tuesday in the UAE, according to the state-owned Bahrain News Agency.

Sisi is set to meet with Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the leaders will hold talks on growing the $100 million trade between the countries as well as recent Arab and international developments, according to local Egyptian media.

On Wednesday, the Egyptian president met with his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, in New Delhi to discuss increased trade between the two countries and Indian business in Egypt, according to the Egyptian state-owned al-Ahram.

The Egyptian president also attended the third India-Africa Forum Summit on his first state visit to India.

On Sisi's first leg of his latest diplomatic tour he visited the UAE and met with Vice-President Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum on Tuesday, before going on a guided tour of Dubai - with the emir of Dubai himself at the wheel.

Bilateral cooperation on economics, investment and development were the topics of discussion between the two leaders.

Sisi also met with UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi to talk about the UAE supporting Egypt's security and stability and strengthening its economic and development plans.

Nahyan and Sisi discussed regional security issues including Egypt's ongoing military operations in Yemen as well as the war in Syria and conflict in Libya, according to the Egyptian State Information Service.

Sisi's tour of Asia comes just before his controversial upcoming visit to the UK on November 4.

Many British activists have objected to Sisi's UK visit, in light of the ongoing human rights abuses by the Egyptian government. A coalition of organisations have called for a protest outside 10 Downing Street, and have started an online petition against the visit.

On Tuesday, The Guardian published an open letter urging the British government to cancel the upcoming visit. The signatories include prominent MPs, including Diane Abbott, Caroline Lucas and John McDonnell, as well as academics, journalists and activists.