Türkiye, Egypt restore diplomatic ties at ambassadorial level

Türkiye and Egypt have restored diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.

In a joint statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on July 4, Cairo and Ankara said Türkiye nominated Salih Mutlu Sen as its ambassador to Cairo and Egypt in turn nominated Amr Elhamamy as its ambassador to Ankara, Caliber.Az reports.

Türkiye-Mısır Ortak Açıklaması https://t.co/trpWSuCrCv pic.twitter.com/VRYH9lWnSV

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“The elevation of the level of diplomatic relations between the two countries was implemented in accordance with the decision taken by the presidents of the two countries,” the statement said.

“This step aims at the renormalisation of relations between the two countries and reflects the mutual will to improve bilateral relations in the interests of the Turkish and Egyptian peoples.”

To recap, Egypt’s first democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi’s overthrow in a military coup leads to a dramatic shift in relations in 2013. Diplomatic ties are reduced to charge d’affaires level as Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls the leader of the “unacceptable coup”, and future president of Egypt, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, an “illegitimate tyrant”.

In November, Cairo declares Türkiye’s ambassador “persona non grata”. Türkiye gradually becomes a hub for Egyptian exiles, including senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders, and opposition media outlets, while Erdogan adopts a hand gesture made popular at anti-coup protests in Egypt.