Egypt's Sisi pays first presidential visit to Türkiye

On September 4, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Ankara for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marking the first presidential-level visit between the two nations in 12 years.

This visit represents a significant step towards improving their traditionally strained relations, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The meeting took place at the Presidential Residence, where the leaders discussed issues including the situation in the Gaza Strip and the state of trade relations.

The sides are expected to sign around 20 agreements during the high-level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting, which will cover various sectors such as defence, energy, tourism, healthcare, education, and culture.

These agreements are anticipated to boost the trade volume between Türkiye and Egypt to $15 billion and enhance cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG), nuclear energy, and renewable energy.

Notably, the visit follows Erdoğan's trip to Cairo in February, marking his first visit to Egypt since 2012. This trip was a significant move toward mending relations that had been greatly strained for ten years.

In 2020, Türkiye began improving its relations with regional rivals, such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, through a diplomatic charm offensive. As a result, Türkiye and Egypt reinstated their ambassadors last year, and Türkiye has pledged to supply Cairo with armed drones.