Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Egypt on Wednesday after visiting Riyadh this week, where Ankara was determined to boost ties with Saudi Arabia. Turkey indicated.
These are important moves by Turkey as it seeks to further cement its ties with the Arab world and it all matters to Israel, because it is increasingly concerned about Ankara’s regional role and its hostility toward Jerusalem.
Saudi Arabia has also had tense ties with the UAE, which some think will reduce the chances that it will join the Abraham Accords, while Egypt is a key player in the Gaza deal and both Turkey and Egypt are allied to the US.
Erdogan headed a delegation to Egypt that Turkey’s Daily Sabah reported comprises business executives, diplomats and key officials. He was received by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. An Egyptian foreign ministry source told Al-Ain media in the UAE about the expectations of the visit. “Gaza, Libya, and Africa top the agenda of Sisi and Erdogan’s talks,” the source said.
The report noted that “Erdogan’s visit to Cairo comes after another to Saudi Arabia where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Prime Minister, amid confirmation from the Turkish President of Ankara’s determination to elevate relations with the kingdom in areas including renewable energy and defense industries.”
This is Erdogan’s third visit to Cairo. Several years ago, Ankara was among the largest critics of Sisi. In the old days, Ankara backed the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its then-leader Mohammed Morsi. Morsi was jailed after a protest and revolution and died in prison, which upset Ankara.
Growing momentum of Turkey-Egypt ties
The visit is portrayed as part of the growing momentum of Turkey-Egypt ties. Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Tamim Khallaf told Al-Ain media that “Egyptian-Turkish relations have witnessed growing momentum recently, reflecting a shared orientation towards deepening cooperation on institutional and sustainable foundations, building on existing cooperation mechanisms, including the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which allows for translating understandings into practical steps that achieve mutual interests.”
Economic ties are on the agenda. They want to increase the volume of trade and reach about $15 billion. In the Al-Ain interview, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that “consultation and coordination between the two sides is of increasing importance with regard to a number of issues of common interest, foremost among them the developments in the Gaza Strip.” The talks will also address “efforts to support stability and a political settlement in Libya, as well as issues of security, stability and development in the African continent.”