What are the latest preparations for the upcoming Egyptian-Turkish presidential summit?
Egyptian-Turkish relations are once again seeking full normalization and the beginning of a new phase of cooperation. Channels of communication are being opened between the governmental agencies in Egypt and Turkey, starting with the reception of President el-Sisi and Erdogan in the opening of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The two countries are also preparing to develop and regain momentum in their relations at all political and economic levels. The Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministries stated that the two countries exchanged ambassadors for the first time in ten years to restore diplomatic relations to their normal state.
Egyptian-Turkish Relations
Consultations between senior officials from the foreign ministries in Ankara and Cairo began in 2021, as Turkey sought to improve relations with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
The Turkish Chargé d’Affaires in Cairo, Ambassador Salah Motlu Şen, said that Erdogan extended an invitation to the Egyptian President to visit Turkey, adding, “I know that Egyptians want to see Erdogan, and the two leaders will determine the meeting place. The meeting will take place in Ankara or Cairo.”
Prior to the years-long rupture resulting from Erdogan’s support for terrorist groups, during el-Sisi’s leadership of the Egyptian army as Minister of Defense and Military Production and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he visited Turkey for five days in 2013. During the visit, Sisi held talks with İsmet Yılmaz, the Turkish Minister of Defense, focusing on ways to support cooperation and enhance military relations between the two countries in various fields.
Official Invitation
In this context, Turkish diplomatic sources expected President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to visit the Turkish capital, Ankara, following the last Eid al-Adha, as part of the Turkish-Egyptian reconciliation process.
The sources added that after winning the presidential elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan invited his Egyptian counterpart to visit Turkey during their congratulatory phone call, and President el-Sisi welcomed the invitation. It is expected that President Sisi will visit Ankara shortly after the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Diplomatic Ground for the Presidential Summit
Mokhtar Ghobashi, Deputy Director of Arab Strategic Studies, said that Egypt and Turkey’s decision to raise their relations to the level of ambassadors paves the way and provides the diplomatic ground for the official presidential summit between President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ghobashi added that raising the relations to the level of ambassadors will also pave the way for enhancing relations and cooperation between the two countries in all fields, especially in trade and tourism.
