Egyptian President Sisi Visits Turkey to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is making a historic visit to Ankara today, marking a significant step towards reconciliation between Egypt and Turkey. This visit, the first of its kind in over a decade, comes as both leaders seek to mend relations that have been strained since the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The Turkish presidency confirmed that Sisi's trip is in response to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's earlier visit to Egypt in February, highlighting a renewed commitment to collaboration.
High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting
During this visit, Sisi and Erdogan are set to chair the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which was restructured following Erdogan's Cairo visit. This meeting is expected to cover a wide range of topics, including bilateral relations and pressing regional issues, particularly the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. The two leaders aim to discuss joint actions to enhance cooperation, with a signing ceremony for new agreements anticipated to follow.
A New Era of Economic Cooperation
Both presidents have expressed a strong desire to turn a new leaf in their countries' relations. Sisi announced plans to elevate joint economic cooperation with Turkey to $15 billion in the coming years, signaling a robust commitment to enhancing trade ties. Despite previous political tensions, trade relations have remained solid, with Turkey being Egypt's fifth-largest trading partner and Egypt being Turkey's primary economic partner in Africa. The past few years have seen an increase in mutual visits by officials and delegations, further solidifying this relationship.
