Egyptian FM to visit Türkiye for talks on bilateral, regional issues

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will visit Türkiye on Feb. 4, where he will meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.

The visit is expected to cover a wide range of bilateral relations and regional developments, including economic cooperation, the situation in Gaza, Syria, Libya, and Africa, as well as diplomatic efforts toward regional stability.

The discussions will also focus on enhancing diplomatic and economic ties, as both countries prepare for the next High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting in 2026.

Deepening Türkiye-Egypt relations ahead of 100th anniversary

The upcoming meeting will mark another step in Türkiye-Egypt diplomatic normalization, particularly as 2025 will commemorate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Officials are expected to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening ties, with a particular emphasis on:

• Increasing trade volume to $15 billion and promoting investments.
• Boosting cooperation in education, culture, and tourism to enhance people-to-people interactions.
• Ensuring continued high-level diplomatic engagement between institutions.

These efforts align with the broader political will of both nations, as underscored by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo on Feb. 14, 2024, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s visit to Ankara on Sept. 4, 2024.

The first HLSCC meeting held during Sissi’s Ankara visit reaffirmed the intent to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors.

Additionally, Erdogan and Sissi met for the third time in 2024 on Dec. 19 in Cairo during Egypt’s D-8 Summit presidency, where they reviewed progress in bilateral relations and discussed regional matters.

Key regional issues on agenda

In addition to bilateral cooperation, the ministers will focus on several regional developments, including:

• Gaza: Continued humanitarian cooperation between Türkiye and Egypt, support for rebuilding efforts, and a commitment to a two-state solution.
• Syria: Addressing the country’s stabilization and engagement with new political structures, alongside discussions on joint efforts against terrorist groups PKK/YPG and Daesh.
• Libya, Horn of Africa, and Sahel: Security and diplomatic coordination in these regions to promote regional stability and economic cooperation.

Fidan is also expected to emphasize Türkiye’s commitment to close cooperation with Egypt in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and tackling regional security threats.

Cairo and Ankara’s growing economic and diplomatic ties

Trade and investment remain key pillars of Türkiye-Egypt relations, with efforts to expand economic cooperation and meet the $15 billion trade volume target. Diplomatic sources indicate that discussions will include investment incentives and business partnerships to strengthen economic ties.

Both countries have also intensified cultural, educational, and tourism collaborations, aiming to foster greater people-to-people engagement.