Egyptian President Visits Turkey as Relations Improve

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi began his first official visit to Turkey on Wednesday, following years of strained relations between the two regional powers.

El-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were scheduled to discuss key issues, including bilateral relations, the Gaza conflict, and growing tensions in the Middle East. The leaders are also expected to oversee the signing of over a dozen cooperation agreements, particularly in sectors like energy, defense, and tourism.

Earlier this year, Erdogan visited Egypt for the first time in over a decade, as both countries worked to restore diplomatic ties. Erdogan expressed hopes to increase bilateral trade from $10 billion to $15 billion.

Relations between Egypt and Turkey deteriorated after Egypt's military ousted President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which Turkey has long supported. Egypt subsequently banned the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

In recent years, Ankara has softened its stance on el-Sissi's government in an effort to improve relations with Egypt and other Arab nations while seeking foreign investments amid economic challenges. The two leaders were seen shaking hands at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, marking a thaw in their relationship.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Turkey in 2023 to show solidarity after a deadly earthquake struck southern Turkey and Syria.

This is el-Sissi's first visit to Turkey since becoming president in 2014, following his military-led ousting of Morsi. He is accompanied by a large delegation of officials and business leaders, according to Egyptian media.

Erdogan welcomed el-Sissi at the airport in Ankara, a gesture usually reserved for visiting heads of state. The Egyptian president later arrived at the Turkish presidential palace, where he was greeted with an official ceremony.

El-Sissi shared on Facebook that his visit to Turkey, along with Erdogan's earlier trip to Cairo, reflects their mutual desire to begin a new era of friendship and cooperation.

Egypt has been working with Qatar and the United States to negotiate a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. However, the talks have stalled. Egypt remains opposed to any Israeli presence along its border with Gaza, citing concerns over the impact on the longstanding peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas launched an assault on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages. Since then, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 40,000, with a quarter of its population facing severe food shortages.