Russia is looking to increase its cooperation with Egypt on air travel security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a piece penned for state-run Al Ahram. Lavrov’s words comes as President Abdel Fattah is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday during a state visit to Moscow, according to an announcement from the Kremlin. The two leaders will touch the usual basket of topics, with military cooperation likely a top priority as they sign a number of so-far unspecified agreements.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry sat down with Russia Today for an interview ahead of tomorrow’s visit, during which he discussed Egypt’s ties with Russia. He noted the economic and political importance of the relationship to Cairo, noting that Egypt and Russia consult on a variety of topics including the situation in Syria. The minister also touched on regional issues, including the spread of terrorism, the Arab quartet’s ongoing spat with Qatar, and the resolution of the Palestinian crisis (watch the full interview, runtime: 27:30).

Elsewhere this morning: The World Bank plans on investing USD 45 bn in Africa over the next three years to support the development of basic services, particularly education, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said during a meeting chaired by Investment and International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr on boosting productivity in Africa, according to a ministry statement (pdf). The investments come as part of the bank’s commitment to supporting investment in human capital, Kim said. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is also ready to extend fresh funding to support private sector growth across Africa, CEO Philippe Le Houérou said.

Egypt and Israel have resumed cargo traffic via the El Auga border crossing in Sinai, the Associated Press reports. The crossing had previously been shut down due to the militant insurgency in the peninsula.