Turkey and Egypt Meet in Cairo to Address Long-standing Issues

Turkey and Egypt are coming together to talk about their problems. President Erdogan of Turkey and President el-Sisi of Egypt are meeting in Cairo. They want to improve their relationship after years of not getting along.

After years of frosty relations, a thaw appears to be underway between Turkey and Egypt, with Presidents Erdogan and el-Sisi set to meet in Cairo today in a landmark summit. Both leaders hope to extend the recent warming of ties and discuss key regional issues, including the volatile situation in Gaza.

The relationship between Turkey and Egypt has been frosty since the 2013 overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president and an Erdogan ally. Turkey strongly condemned the military coup and supported the Muslim Brotherhood, fueling tensions with the el-Sisi regime.

However, in recent months, both sides have taken cautious steps toward rapprochement. Diplomatic ties were restored in 2021, followed by visits by lower-level officials. The Cairo summit marks the first meeting between Erdogan and el-Sisi since 2013.

Agenda and potential outcomes

The war in Gaza is expected to dominate the discussions, although the official agenda centers on areas of potential cooperation like trade, tourism, and energy. Turkey and Egypt hold differing views on the conflict, with Ankara criticizing el-Sisi’s close ties with Israel. Finding common ground on this front would be a major achievement, potentially paving the way for joint efforts toward a ceasefire and reconstruction.

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Beyond Gaza, the leaders are likely to discuss regional issues like Libya, where they support opposing factions, and the Eastern Mediterranean, where maritime demarcation disputes have caused friction. Addressing these long-standing disagreements will require significant flexibility and compromise from both sides.

The leaders of Turkey and Egypt hope they can find more things to agree on and make their countries better. They also want to help each other with big problems like the high cost of energy and the need for more jobs.

However, tangible progress on key issues and a sustained de-escalation of tensions will measure the success of the Cairo summit. If this meeting paves the way for concrete agreements and increased dialogue, it could mark a turning point in Turkish-Egyptian relations, with significant implications for the wider Middle East.