Ashraf AboArafe
On the sidelines of the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, held bilateral consultations with his Turkish counterpart, Mr. Hakan Fidan, on Monday, August 25, 2025. The discussions touched on the full spectrum of bilateral ties as well as regional developments of mutual concern.
Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the momentum witnessed in Egyptian–Turkish relations, particularly as the two nations mark a century of diplomatic ties. They agreed on the importance of building upon the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Council held in Istanbul in September 2024, and the recent visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister to New Alamein City earlier this August. The two sides emphasized the need to continue activating mechanisms of cooperation—particularly through the upcoming inaugural meeting of the Joint Planning Group—to further institutionalize the Egyptian–Turkish partnership. They also renewed their anticipation of the second session of the High-Level Strategic Council, to be co-chaired by the Presidents of both countries.
Minister Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s eagerness to boost Turkish investments in the Egyptian market and reaffirmed the joint target of raising bilateral trade volume to 15 billion USD within the next five years, in light of the promising economic opportunities and investment incentives Egypt offers.
Turning to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, the two ministers reaffirmed their rejection of Israel’s ongoing aggression against Gaza, stressing the urgency of effective intervention to halt the violence. They underscored the need to end policies of starvation and systematic killing of civilians in blatant violation of international law and humanitarian law. They also condemned in the strongest terms Israel’s settlement expansion in the West Bank and continued violations across occupied Palestinian lands.
Minister Abdelatty highlighted Egypt’s ongoing mediation efforts, in coordination with Qatar, to secure a ceasefire—emphasizing the importance of intensifying pressure on Israel to accept the proposed deal, especially in light of Hamas’s approval. He stressed the urgent need for unimpeded humanitarian aid, noting that Egypt has delivered 70% of all aid entering Gaza, while more than 5,000 trucks loaded with relief and medical supplies remain stranded at the border due to Israeli restrictions.
The consultations also included an exchange of assessments on priority regional issues, including developments in Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa. Minister Abdelatty emphasized the importance of safeguarding the unity, territorial integrity, and national institutions of these states, while underscoring the shared commitment to coordination and joint action aimed at advancing political solutions, opening pathways to development, and ensuring regional peace and stability.
