During a joint press conference in Ankara on Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that both countries have agreed on a timeframe for upgrading their diplomatic relations. The press conference followed a closed-door meeting between the two diplomats, during which they discussed bilateral relations and ways to overcome obstacles hindering their development.
Cavusoglu stated that talks with Egypt have made substantial progress on the issue of appointing ambassadors, and a timetable for mutual ambassadorial appointments will be announced soon. Shoukry affirmed that the accelerating development of Egyptian-Turkish relations reflects a political will to improve relations in all fields, and that a summit between the two countries’ presidents will be held in the near future, with preparations underway.
Shoukry’s visit to Ankara comes after Cavusoglu’s visit to Cairo in March and Shoukry’s earlier visit to Turkey in February, which was in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake. The purpose of the visit, according to Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu-Zeid, is to continue the discussions initiated in Cairo to normalize relations and establish a clear roadmap for appointing ambassadors and set a timeline for the matter.
Cavusoglu, during an interview earlier this week, described the recent steps taken to normalize ties with Egypt as “extremely positive” and expressed Turkey’s desire to develop joint relations, especially in the field of economy. He noted that Egyptian-Turkish relations in the field of energy were growing rapidly and stated that the Turkish government will encourage Turkish companies, especially tourism companies, to invest in Egypt and increase the number of Turkish tourists visiting the country. Cavusoglu also revealed that he has asked Egypt to allow Turkish Anadolu News Agency to work again in Egypt after its Cairo office was closed down in August 2013.
The bilateral trade volume between Egypt and Turkey has been on the rise, with data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) showing a 14% increase to $7.7 billion in 2022, compared to $6.7 billion the previous year. Cavusoglu stated that the Turkish government aims to further increase the trade exchange between the two countries to $15 billion. He emphasized that the cooperation between Egypt and Turkey is in the interest of both countries and the region as a whole.
