Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi travelled on Monday to the United Arab Emirates, where he is scheduled to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Egyptian media Egypt Today said that the visit “underscores the two leaders’ keenness to further strengthen bilateral relations across various fields, as well as to enhance consultation and coordination on regional and international issues and crises of mutual interest.”
UAE media outlet Al-Ain News said the visit represents a “fraternal visit,” coming at a time of regional tensions involving the UAE, particularly with Saudi Arabia. Egypt is a close friend of both countries, while there are also reports of tensions between Algeria and the UAE.
The visit also comes after a recent killing in Sudan that has shed an increased regional spotlight on the civil war there and efforts to end it. At the same time, Arab countries have condemned new legislation in Jerusalem that aims to increase Israel’s “expansionist” policies, according to a statement from seven Arab states.
The statement, published by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), said that the foreign ministers of the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar condemned the Israeli decisions in the strongest terms.
Egypt and the UAE both have relations with Israel and are expected to continue backing the US plan for Gaza.
Al-Ain media said the Egyptian president was welcomed upon his arrival at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi.
The official website of the Egyptian Presidency noted that “the Egyptian president had visited the UAE last June, in a visit that discussed fraternal relations and various avenues of cooperation and joint work, and continuing to push them forward, especially in areas that serve the development goals of the two countries in a way that achieves their mutual interests and brings goodness and growth to their people.”
During the visit at the Al-Shati Palace in the UAE, the two leaders discussed regional issues.
“In this context, they stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip [which was reached in October 2025] and to work towards creating a clear political horizon for a just and comprehensive peace based on the ‘two-state solution’ that guarantees stability and security for all,” Al-Ain noted.
They also sought to coordinate on other issues in the region, focusing on “stability, security, and peace, which is the path to achieving development and prosperity for all the peoples of the region.”
The reports went on to note that the UAE leader made three visits to Egypt in 2025. “Mutual visits and successive summits confirm the strength of bilateral relations and the importance of continued joint coordination between Cairo and Abu Dhabi on priority issues, foremost among them Arab issues, the situation in Gaza, and efforts to achieve regional stability,” said Al-Ain media.
The recent visit follows a recent trip by the Egyptian foreign minister to the UAE.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE foreign trade minister, also headed a high-level government delegation to Egypt at the end of last December, Al-Ain noted.
There have been discussions about the UAE investing in Egypt and the “Egyptian government’s aspiration to enhance this cooperation by establishing more fruitful partnerships during the next stage.”
Egypt-UAE ties date back to UAE’s founding in 1971
The same reports at Al-Ain noted that ties between the states go back to even before the UAE was founded in 1971.
“Following the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt was among the first countries to fully support it, rushing to recognize it immediately after its declaration, exchanging relations at the embassy level, and supporting it regionally and internationally, considering it a pillar of security and stability and a new addition that contributes to the strength of the Arabs.”
Egypt has historically been one of the leaders of the Arab world. Under its leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, it played a major role in the region in the 1960s.
In recent decades some of the power of the historical Arab states, such as Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, has shifted toward the Gulf. Al-Ain added that “with the rise of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to power in 2014, the special relationship between the two countries reached its peak, witnessing significant and qualitative development in the political, economic, security, military, and other fields.”
The meetings in the UAE have ramifications for the region and also for Israel. These two countries are both close partners of the US.
They also both share interests in Gaza. In recent months it is clear that Saudi Arabia has become concerned about the UAE’s policies in Yemen and also in the Red Sea. It is unclear if the Egyptian visit may help patch things up between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.