Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Türkiye on September 4, marking his first official trip to Ankara since taking office a decade ago. This visit, at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is seen as a significant step in mending the historically strained relations between the two regional powers.
At a joint press conference, both leaders underscored their dedication to strengthening cooperation in key areas such as trade, defense, healthcare, and energy. They formalized this commitment by signing 17 agreements aimed at increasing bilateral trade from $10 billion to $15 billion over the next five years.
Erdogan emphasized the role of this renewed partnership in ensuring regional stability, especially amidst ongoing conflicts like the one in Gaza.
The two presidents also expressed solidarity on the Palestinian issue, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a boost in humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Erdogan criticized Israel’s military actions, attributing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to those operations. El-Sisi shared this view, stressing the importance of collaborative efforts to mitigate further humanitarian disasters in the region.
The rapprochement follows a decade of tension, particularly after the 2013 removal of President Mohamed Morsi, who had close ties to Ankara. However, evolving geopolitical dynamics and shared security interests have led both nations to prioritize closer cooperation.
Analysts believe that renewed relations between Türkiye and Egypt could play a pivotal role in addressing challenges such as energy security and political stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
El-Sisi’s visit marks a potential turning point in Türkiye-Egypt relations, with both leaders voicing optimism about future collaboration in sectors like defense and energy exploration.
