Foreign Ministers Hold Talks in India for Turkish and Egyptian Relations
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Roshan Amiri
- . February 22, 2024
- . Update: February 22, 2024 8:38 pm
Top diplomats from Turkey and Egypt held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi recently. The meeting between Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu of Turkey and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry marked the highest level of contact between the two countries since relations soured after the military overthrow of Egypt’s elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Years of Strained Relations
Turkey had backed Morsi, who hailed from the Muslim Brotherhood group. After the coup, Egypt designated the group as a terrorist organization and jailed thousands of its supporters. Ankara-Cairo ties deteriorated sharply, with the countries even withdrawing their ambassadors in 2013.
Efforts to Break the Ice
There have been efforts in recent times to reset the relationship between the two significant powers in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean region. Last May, a Turkish delegation held talks in Egypt that focused on possible cooperation in the energy sector. However, ties remained frosty with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continuing his criticism of Egypt’s human rights record.
The latest high-level conversation between the foreign ministers came nearly two months after Erdoğan shook hands with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the opening ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Both leaders displayed a willingness for more regular contacts to mend fences.
Possible Signs of Thaw
In their talks on Wednesday, Çavuşoğlu and Shoukry addressed bilateral relations and relevant regional issues like Syria and Libya. They agreed to keep channels of dialogue open through mutual visits and meetings at international events. The Turkish foreign ministry said the two ministers discussed strengthening cooperation in sectors like health, transportation, culture, and technology.
The talks lasted for about 40 minutes but signal a tentative re-engagement between Ankara and Cairo after years of animosity. With Egypt taking over the presidency of the Arab League, Turkey likely aims to leverage the opportunity to normalize ties with the Arab world. While deep divisions persist on political issues, the two regional powers share mutual interests in restoring economic ties and security cooperation.
What Comes Next?
In their talks, the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt agreed to keep communicating and work on improving relations. They talked about cooperation in areas like health, transportation, culture, and technology. This is a good start after years of difficult relations.
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The countries still disagree politically on some important issues. But they both see value in having better economic ties. They also share interests in regional security. So there are reasons for them to keep making efforts.
More talks and meetings between leaders of both countries can be expected. These will slowly help to rebuild trust. With time, Turkey and Egypt may be able to normalize relations fully. Things seem to be moving in a positive direction now.
