President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a fresh start in their relations after more than a decade of estrangement. They expressed commitment to ushering in “a new stage in relations,” with plans to boost trade to $15 billion annually and improve diplomatic cooperation in the Middle East.
The two leaders sign a joint declaration restructuring high-level Strategic Cooperation Council meetings between Egypt and Turkey. This move is hailed as a significant milestone in Cairo-Ankara relations. It serves as a crucial platform for coordinating on regional and international issues, including developments in the Middle East, Maghreb region, particularly Libya, and the Horn of Africa, with a shared goal of promoting security and stability on the African continent.
This was Turkish President Erdogan’s first visit to Egypt in more than a decade.
Joint declaration signed
Turkey and Egypt signed a joint declaration, vowing to collaborate across various domains such as politics, security, trade, and culture.
Signed in Cairo by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the declaration focused on restructuring the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meetings between the two nations.
As part of the agreement between both countries, cooperation will be carried out in various fields, including “political and diplomatic, economy, trade, banking and financial services, investments, transportation, aviation, maritime, tourism, health and labor, security, military and defence industry, combating all kinds of organised crime and terrorism, culture, education, science and technology, energy, mining, agriculture, environment, forestry, housing and urban transformation, climate change, communication and information, and consular affairs,” according to the declaration.
Highlighting their deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, the declaration emphasized Ankara and Cairo’s dedication to bolstering their relations in all aspects for the mutual benefit of their peoples and regions.
Energy cooperation
Türkiye’s state pipeline operator BOTAŞ and Egypt’s EGAS agreed to enhance their energy partnership, focusing on natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade prospects, BOTAŞ announced in a statement on February 15.
“Within the scope of the President’s official visit to Egypt, a meeting was held between the senior management of national natural gas companies BOTAŞ and EGAS (Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company),” stated the Turkish company on its website.
“During the meeting, it was agreed to further strengthen the relations between BOTAŞ and EGAS. Within this framework, discussions were held on natural gas and LNG trading opportunities, cooperation on natural gas infrastructure and underground storages, (and) sharing of technical information and experience,” it added.
Turkiye to cooperate with Egypt to stop bloodshed in Gaza
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed Turkey and Egypt’s readiness to collaborate in stopping the ongoing violence in Gaza amidst Israel’s relentless assaults, resulting in the loss of over 28,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women and children.
Addressing a joint press briefing alongside the Egyptian President, Erdoğan emphasized the urgent need to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
He underscored the mutual commitment of both nations to participate in the reconstruction efforts in Gaza, which has been ravaged by Israeli airstrikes.
Erdoğan also condemned Israel’s actions aiming to displace Palestinians from their homeland in Gaza, labeling such endeavors as “null and void.”
“We welcome Egypt’s stance against Israel’s attempts in this regard,” he stated, underscoring their joint emphasis on the uninterrupted transportation of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, where over 1.5 million individuals are enduring a dire humanitarian situation.