Ashraf AboArafe
In a fresh step to strengthen consultation and coordination between Cairo and Ankara, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Expatriates’ Affairs, received Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, on Saturday, 9 August 2025, in the city of El-Alamein. The meeting included a bilateral session followed by expanded talks attended by both delegations, underscoring the strategic weight of bilateral ties in a year marking 100 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Türkiye.
Deepening Economic and Investment Cooperation
Both ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing cooperation across multiple sectors, focusing on implementing the outcomes of the first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting held in Istanbul in September 2024. Abdelatty stressed Egypt’s aspiration to increase direct Turkish investments and expand partnerships in manufacturing, energy, transport, and tourism, aiming to boost bilateral trade to $15 billion — a strategic target serving the interests of both peoples.
The Egyptian minister also expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s support of Egypt’s candidate, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, for the position of UNESCO Director-General, reflecting the depth of bilateral ties and mutual backing in international forums.
Unified Position on the Israeli Aggression in Gaza
The Palestinian issue dominated much of the discussions, with both ministers unequivocally condemning the Israeli ministerial council’s decision to occupy the Gaza Strip in its entirety. They stressed the need to confront Israel’s policy of excessive force. Abdelatty warned against systematic starvation and acts of genocide, reaffirming that there can be no security or stability in the region without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The minister reviewed Egypt’s efforts, in partnership with Qatar and the United States, to broker a ceasefire and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, urging intensified international pressure on Israel to increase the number of aid trucks and allow their unobstructed passage.
Hot Regional Files: Libya, Sudan, Syria, Horn of Africa
- Libya: Abdelatty stressed the urgency of holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, dismantling militias, and ensuring the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries.
- Sudan: Reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Sudan’s state institutions and the need to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Syria: Reiterated Egypt’s rejection of any actions that could undermine Syrian stability, condemning Israeli violations and its occupation of Syrian territories, and denouncing Israel’s breach of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
- Horn of Africa: Stressed the importance of respecting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity while rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs.
Analytical Perspective
These talks reveal that Cairo and Ankara are moving decisively toward expanding their strategic partnership, leveraging their recent political rapprochement to build a broader base for economic cooperation while also shaping a unified diplomatic stance on pressing regional crises. The Palestinian file took center stage as a key indicator of overlapping national security priorities, while the Libyan, Syrian, Sudanese, and Somali issues reflected a shared vision for political solutions that preserve state sovereignty and territorial unity.
