Turkish and Egyptian Foreign Ministers Discuss Enhancing Cooperation and President Sisi's Upcoming Visit to Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held a joint press conference in Cairo on Thursday to discuss strengthening ties between their countries. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, economy, defense, and energy, as well as President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's upcoming visit to Ankara.

Fidan emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and security in the region, stating, "We discussed regional issues and ways to address common challenges." The ministers also explored opportunities for increased collaboration across various sectors to improve the strained relations between Turkey and Egypt.

The upcoming visit by President Sisi to Ankara is part of the steps taken by both countries to enhance cooperation and raise the level of bilateral relations, following up on agreements made during recent meetings between the two countries' leaderships. Egypt and Turkey are coordinating and consulting on ways to confront regional and international challenges and crises.

Why this matters: The developing relations between Turkey and Egypt are creating an important synergy for regional issues, with their interests increasingly converging in the face of current and growing challenges in the region. Improved ties could have significant implications for stability and cooperation in the Middle East.

During the press conference, Fidan and Shoukry announced that they will discuss regional issues such as Gaza, Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel during Sisi's visit. They will also focus on strengthening bilateral trade, economic, and investment ties, with a goal of reaching a $15 billion trade volume.

The rapprochement between Turkey and Egypt comes after years of tensions due to Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood and interventions in Libya. However, recent high-level meetings, including those between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Sisi during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2022 G20 summit in New Delhi, have paved the way for restoring normal relations, raising diplomatic ties, and exchanging ambassadors.

Fidan expressed optimism about the future of Turkey-Egypt relations, noting that the visit will allow for a more in-depth exchange of views on regional issues and discussions on concrete steps forward. The growing cooperation between the two countries is expected to create a positive impact on addressing the increasing challenges in the region and fostering stability and security.

Key Takeaways

• Turkey, Egypt FMs meet to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.
• Cooperation to focus on trade, economy, defense, and energy.
• Sisi's upcoming visit to Ankara part of efforts to enhance cooperation.
• Improved Turkey-Egypt ties could have significant regional implications.
• Rapprochement after years of tensions due to Turkey's support for Muslim Brotherhood.