Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to arrive in Cairo on Wednesday for a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
This visit marks the culmination of a prolonged reconciliation process between the two leaders.
Erdogan, speaking on Monday, mentioned that discussions would encompass all possible efforts to halt the ongoing “bloodshed” in the Gaza Strip.
Additionally, the Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that the talks would address a wide range of topics, including economic, trade, tourism, energy, and defense matters.
This visit holds particular significance as it will be Erdogan’s first trip to Egypt since 2012.
The diplomatic ties between the two nations were severed in 2013 when Sisi, then Egypt’s defense minister, removed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi—an ally of Turkey and affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
At that time, Erdogan had expressed his reluctance to engage with Sisi, stating he would never speak to someone like him.
However, relations began to thaw in 2021, marked by continuing collapse of Turkish economy and lira seeing a historic drop against the dollar, a Turkish delegation visited Egypt for normalization discussions.
By July of the same year, ambassadors were appointed to each other’s capitals for the first time in a decade.
In November 2022, Erdogan and Sisi’s handshake in Qatar was hailed as a new beginning for their relations by the Egyptian presidency. Subsequent meetings in various countries, including Saudi Arabia and India, further signaled the warming of ties.
Despite the decade-long hiatus in official relations, trade between the two nations continued, with Turkey ranking as Egypt’s fifth-largest trade partner, according to Egyptian central bank figures.
Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the finalization of an agreement to supply drones to Egypt.
While Turkey and Egypt have often found themselves on opposing sides, particularly in supporting rival governments in Libya, they share common interests in two key conflicts: Sudan and Gaza.
Erdogan emphasized that discussions during his Egypt visit, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, would focus on finding ways to support the people in Gaza. Turkey remains committed to efforts aimed at ending the bloodshed in the region.
Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel, condemned its actions in the Palestinian territory. Istanbul had served as a base for Hamas political leaders before the October 7 attacks.
Following the attacks, Turkey requested Hamas leaders to leave. Erdogan has maintained communication with Hamas leadership, viewing Turkey as a potential ally in ceasefire negotiations.
Egypt and Qatar are currently engaged in mediating efforts, with US support, to facilitate a new agreement between the conflicting parties.
