Egypt's president to pay official visit to Turkiye, meet with Erdogan
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The meeting comes amid the normalization process between the two countries after their diplomatic ties were severed in 2013.
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A handout photo made available by the Turkish President's Press Office showing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands during their meeting in Cairo, Egypt on February 14, 2024. (Turkish Presidential Press Office)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is set to pay an official visit to Turkiye on Wednesday, meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The leaders are expected to discuss steps toward implementing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and working to provide it with humanitarian aid amid the ongoing Israeli aggression.
El-Sisi and Erdogan are speculated to exchange views on expanding cooperation, including strengthening bilateral trade and defense cooperation. Additionally, the two politicians will address regional issues such as Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The meeting comes amid the normalization process between the two countries after their diplomatic ties were severed in 2013.
Turkish President Erdogan made his first visit to Egypt since 2012 on February 14 to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a big step forward towards rebuilding relations between the two countries.
Bloomberg reported that the talks between Erdogan and el-Sisi will mainly focus on facilitating aid entry into Gaza and potential steps that could be taken to end the war.
The visit is part of diplomatic efforts in recent years to rekindle the nations' relations. They mutually appointed ambassadors last year, and this month Turkiye announced it would provide Egypt with military drones.
Improving relations
Relations between Ankara and Cairo went awry in 2013 after Sisi led the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi, an ally of Turkiye who was popularly elected the year before.
According to a draft program, Sisi and Erdogan planned to hold bilateral talks before a meeting between the two delegations, with a formal dinner.
Erdogan has attempted to soften tensions with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and "Israel" since 2021, however, since October 7 he has severely opposed Netanyahu amid the Israeli genocide against Gaza.
Egypt, "Israel", Qatar, and the United States held inconclusive talks yesterday discussing steps towards a ceasefire in Gaza in which Egypt announced that it will not allow Palestinian refugees across its borders.
Last September, both presidents met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi and they agreed to strengthen relations and cooperation, improve diplomatic relations between the two countries, and mutually appoint ambassadors.
Last May, over a phone call, the Egyptian president congratulated President Erdogan on his victory in the Turkish presidential elections. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also visited Turkiye last February, in solidarity with Ankara, following the major earthquake that struck the country.
