Historic Visit: Egypt's Sisi Heads to Turkey in First Presidential Visit in 12 Years

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is set to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey on Wednesday, marking the first presidential-level visit between the two nations in over a decade. This significant diplomatic move comes amid a thawing of long-frozen relations between the regional powers.

The visit follows Erdogan's trip to Cairo in February, his first since 2012, signaling a major step toward rebuilding ties that had been severely strained for nearly a decade. The Turkish presidency's communications office stated that the visit will encompass a comprehensive review of Turkey-Egypt relations, with discussions aimed at identifying joint steps to further develop cooperation in the coming period.

In addition to bilateral relations, the leaders are expected to exchange views on current regional and global issues, with a particular focus on the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. Sisi is scheduled to arrive in Ankara at 2 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET), with a joint press conference planned for later in the day.

Relations between Ankara and Cairo collapsed in 2013 after Sisi, then Egypt's army chief, led the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, an ally of Turkey who had become Egypt's first democratically elected president the year before. Morsi had visited Turkey as president in 2012.

The rapprochement between the two countries began in 2020 when Ankara launched a diplomatic charm offensive aimed at easing tensions with its estranged regional rivals, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. In 2022, Turkey and Egypt mutually reappointed ambassadors, and Ankara has since pledged to provide Cairo with armed drones. Erdogan, during his visit to Cairo, expressed a desire to boost trade between the two countries to $15 billion in the short term, up from the current $10 billion.

According to Turkey's state-owned Anadolu news agency, the two countries are set to sign approximately 20 agreements to enhance commercial ties and cooperate on energy, defense, tourism, health, culture, and education. The agreements also aim to deepen cooperation in renewable energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Turkey, which has been critical of Israel's actions against Hamas militants in Gaza, has sent thousands of tons of aid to Egypt for Palestinians and praised Cairo's humanitarian efforts and role as a negotiator in cease-fire talks.

This historic visit marks a significant shift in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, with both countries signaling a commitment to strengthening ties and addressing regional challenges cooperatively. The outcomes of this visit are expected to have far-reaching implications for the stability and prosperity of the region.