Ankara, 4 September 2024 (TDI): Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is set to arrive in Turkiye on Wednesday, in a visit symbolizing a pivotal shift in the bilateral relationship, which has been marked by years of discord.
The landmark visit follows a recent trip to Cairo by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who engaged with El-Sisi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to prepare the groundwork for this significant diplomatic event.
The agenda for El-Sisi’s visit is anticipated to address pressing issues such as the situation in Gaza.
The visit continues the recent thaw in relations, which began with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trip to Egypt in February — the first since 2012.
Both countries are now striving to enhance their ties to a level of “strategic cooperation.”
The diplomatic rapprochement was further solidified by the exchange of ambassadors in July 2023. Several agreements in areas like energy and tourism are expected to be signed during this visit, along with the inaugural session of the Strategic Cooperation Council.
Turkiye’s Broader Diplomatic Outreach
El-Sisi’s visit is a component of Turkiye’s broader diplomatic outreach, initiated in 2020, aimed at mending ties with former regional adversaries to counter its previous isolation and attract critical investments.
However, this effort to restore relations with Egypt has been particularly challenging for Ankara.
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It has necessitated a recalibration of Turkiye’s stance towards the Muslim Brotherhood by curtailing the movement’s activities within Turkiye, shutting down Istanbul-based TV stations critical of El-Sisi, and deporting some of its members.
Dr. Selin Nasi, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics’ European Institute, views this visit as the culmination of a complex diplomatic process that gained momentum following Sameh Shoukry’s visit to Turkiye after the February 2023 earthquake.
“Relations between Turkiye and Egypt deteriorated due to Turkiye’s support for Mohamed Morsi’s pro-Muslim Brotherhood government, which was overthrown in 2013,” she said.
After the Arab Spring, Turkiye pursued an ideology-driven foreign policy, aligning itself with pro-Muslim Brotherhood movements,” Dr. Selin Nasi added.
