Hisham Qassem , the founder of a number of newspapers and marketing companies in Egypt and a respected authority there on the American media, spoke with Al-Monitor about the move.

On March 5, the Associated Press reported that the agreements are “the first such engagements by the country's powerful security apparatus to be made public and a rare move by a foreign intelligence body .”

According to the documents, the agreements with both firms total $1.8 million a year and went into effect Jan. 18 — two days before Trump took office . The companies are to “provide public affairs services" by "promoting clients' strategic partnership with the United States, highlighting client's economic development, showcasing key attributes of client's civil society, and publicizing client's leading role in managing regional risks."

The deals, signed in January, have caused a stir in political circles: They were commissioned not by Egypt's tourism or trade officials, who have signed similar contracts in the past, but by its General Intelligence Service . The unusual arrangement with the spy agency is disclosed in Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) documents on the US Justice Department website.

CAIRO — Some high-powered makeover experts are helping Egypt prepare for its close-up next week with US President Donald Trump. Egypt hired two units of Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. — New York public relations firm Weber Shandwick and Washington-based lobbyists Cassidy & Associates, Inc. — to boost the regime’s image and promote Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi 's White House visit April 3.

“Concluding a contract with a foreign company specialized in public relations and marketing is nothing new for the Egyptian government," he said. "But this time, Egypt’s General Intelligence [Service] has signed the contract in its name for the first time. This is either because the directorate was unaware of the United States' FARA binding companies to disclose contracts with foreign agents, or it is a clear statement that the directorate is an influential part of the state’s administration.”

Qassem doesn't think the public relations firms' efforts are likely to change American opinions of Egypt. Egypt would do better to actually fix problems such as human and civil rights violations, rather than trying to dress up the country's image, he told Al-Monitor.

“The political circles and ruling parties are exaggerating how much the US companies can do to fix Egypt’s image in the United States. The two companies will offer media services like facilitating contact with Congress members, US correspondents and newspapers, but they will not change Egypt’s image completely. They cannot address the issues of human rights and democracy in Egypt, because those are deep-seated problems that the state has mishandled.”

He continued, “The Egyptian regime wants the United States to increase its financial aid and contributions to development projects based on improved ties between the White House under Trump’s rule and the Egyptian regime. But this won’t be easy, because it is not up to the White House alone. The United States is a state of institutions and balances of power. There are strict laws that cannot be violated. Therefore, Egypt must act with the United States based on the latter’s own rules so that the two US companies can succeed in their task. However, the current Egyptian regime’s strategies do not seem to be very successful.”

Osama Kamal, a journalist known for his support for Sisi, offered a different view. Commenting during a March 7 radio program, he said, “The Egyptian state has done well by taking this step to address Egypt’s image in the United States, because the true image of Egypt has been inaccurately portrayed. The contract ensures that someone will handle showing the real image of the Egyptian state on all audiovisual media and through innovative ideas. These two companies … are renowned and prominent companies in the field of marketing and advertising. The contract also shows that the state is taking action.”

Amr Hashem Rabih, deputy head of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said the intelligence agency must have believed its action was warranted.

“The State Information Service, which is the state’s official media and public relations institution affiliated with the presidency, is responsible for improving Egypt’s image abroad and dealing with the foreign media. But that directorate has failed to restore Egypt’s strong image abroad and clarify terrorism-related issues. Perhaps for that reason, Egypt’s General Intelligence [Service] had to interfere," he said in March 7 statements to Anadolu Agency.

However, Rabih criticized the high cost of the contracts with the US companies, which he believes are overcharging for their services.

Like Kamal, he also said the plan is unlikely to pay off.

Egypt already is the beneficiary of a contract — paid for by the United Arab Emirates — with US lobbying firm Glover Park Group. The $3 million annual contract dates back to 2013, when the UAE sought to support the Egyptian regime following the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood.