Subhi Agrawal
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian President, will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey on Wednesday. This marks the first presidential-level visit in 12 years following their long-frozen relationship.
“Further Develop Cooperation Will Be Discussed”
“Turkey-Egypt relations will be reviewed in all their aspects and possible joint steps in the coming period to further develop cooperation will be discussed,” the Turkish presidency’s communications office said in a statement, reported by NBC News.
“In addition to bilateral relations, there will be an exchange of views on current regional and global issues, especially the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories,” it added.
The visit will be Erdogan’s first visit to Egypt since 2012. It will be marked as a significant step to rebuild the relationship.
The relationship between Ankara and Cairo has been tense for years due to political differences and regional conflicts and it collapsed in 2013. Egypt’s then-army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, led the removal of Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s leader and an ally of Turkey. Morsi’s removal from power the year before caused diplomatic ties between Turkey and Egypt to break down.
Ankara Launched A Diplomatic Charm
Relations between the two countries started getting better in 2020 after Ankara launched a diplomatic charm offensive in an effort to improve relations with its regional rivals, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Turkey and Egypt reappointed ambassadors last year, and Ankara has agreed to supply Cairo with armed drones.
Erdogan, during his visit to Cairo, stated that the two countries aim to increase trade from $10 billion to $15 billion in the near future.
Turkey’s state-owned Anadolu news agency reported that the two countries are set to sign around 20 agreements and will also focus on increasing cooperation in renewable energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG).The agreement is to enhance commercial ties and collaborate on areas including energy, defense, tourism, health, culture, and education.
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