Egypt and Turkey: A New Era of Cooperation

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s visit to Ankara has been ‌hailed⁤ as a significant and historic moment in the relations between the two countries. The visit, which took place on Wednesday, marked a ⁣new chapter in the bilateral ties‍ between Egypt and Turkey.

Al-Sisi was welcomed in Ankara by his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and⁤ the‍ two leaders held a meeting of the‌ “High-Level Strategic Cooperation ⁢Council.” The meeting⁤ was followed by⁣ the‍ signing of a series of agreements⁣ covering various areas,⁣ including energy,⁢ trade, culture, defense, and security.

A⁤ New Phase in Relations

The visit marked ⁤a significant shift in the relations between the two countries, which ⁢had been strained since 2012. The signing of the agreements and the meeting between​ the two leaders signaled a new phase in the ⁢bilateral⁤ ties, one that is characterized by cooperation​ and mutual understanding.

Egyptian author‌ and journalist Ashraf al-Ashry ‌believes that Sisi’s visit to Ankara ​”represents the beginning of a ​return to a new page in terms of the path of relations.” He explained that the two leaders will discuss various issues, including the situation in Libya and⁢ Gaza, and emphasize ⁣the Arab and ‌regional consensus ⁤on the possibility of ​a⁤ ceasefire in the besieged‌ Valley.

Economic Cooperation

The agreements signed between the two countries are expected ⁤to increase the volume of trade‍ exchanges to $15 ‌billion,‌ up from ⁣about⁤ $10 billion. ‌The cooperation in the field of energy ‍offers various opportunities for ​the two countries, especially in cooperation in⁢ the liquefied natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy sectors.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said earlier this year that Turkey had agreed to supply drones to⁣ Egypt following a request ​from Cairo. The cooperation in the security ⁣and defense ‍sectors is expected to be developed⁣ further.

A New ‌Era of Cooperation

Researcher Gune believes that “there are many ‍dimensions that Erdogan and Sisi will address.” He said: “After Sisi’s visit, we expect another visit to Egypt by Erdogan. This indicates that Turkey has turned the⁢ page of differences and turned the page of the Arab Spring, so​ to speak, after making radical changes to countries⁢ including Egypt and Syria.”

There may be a consensus‌ between Turkey and ⁣Egypt on the Mediterranean⁢ gas issue, and Egyptian writer Al-Ashry hopes that ​the‍ two countries “will‌ move⁤ towards delimiting ⁤the Eastern Mediterranean region, as ‌Cairo did with Greece and Cyprus.”

Al-Ashry added: “Egypt will open its arms with Turkey and there will be extensive discussions, and in return there will be another area of cooperation that needs some time, especially on Libya.”