‘Higher collectively’: Presidents of Egypt, Turkey search widespread floor in Ankara | Gaza Information

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has concluded his first go to to Turkey since he took workplace in 2014, in what constitutes the following step in mending the ties between the 2 nations after his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first go to to Egypt since 2014 in February.

The 2 presidents additionally headed the primary assembly of the Egyptian-Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council on Wednesday.

In a 36-point declaration, the council outlined the fields wherein the 2 nations intend to cooperate, one yr earlier than the centenary of diplomatic relations between them.

Amongst them was an enterprise to “promote financial and commerce relations … to extend their commerce quantity” to $15bn, a tripling of the present annual commerce quantity.

‘Joint stand’

In a joint information convention after the go to, Erdogan and el-Sisi expressed their intention to deepen relations and cooperation on a lot of regional political points.

Ministers from each nations signed 18 memorandums of understanding on cooperation in fields from vitality and agriculture to schooling, tourism and transport, with Erdogan saying he aimed to deepen cooperation with Egypt on nuclear vitality and pure gasoline.

Some observers say there was dialogue of Turkey promoting drones to Egypt, however nothing official was communicated on this regard, aside from an article within the declaration that pledged “increasing contacts in various fields, together with army, safety, and consular affairs”.

Politically, the 2 leaders spoke of cooperating in coping with Israel’s warfare on Gaza.

“I reiterate the joint stand of Egypt and Turkey calling for a direct ceasefire, rejecting additional escalation by Israel within the occupied West Financial institution,” el-Sisi stated.

Analyst Erdogan Aykac, who specialises in Turkish politics on the Netherlands’ College of Groningen, believes each Turkey and Egypt really feel they’re shedding their grip on the scenario in Gaza, and need to work collectively to extend their affect.

El-Sisi additionally talked about the intention to work collectively to resolve the battle in Libya, the problem of gasoline exploration rights within the Jap Mediterranean and the civil warfare in Sudan.

He added that Turkey and Egypt agreed on the need to take care of the unity of Somalia, in reference to Somaliland’s secessionist goals.

Turkey has an necessary base in Somalia, whereas Egypt introduced a deal final week to ship arms to Somalia to counter Ethiopia’s affect within the Horn of Africa.

The rift

Such a information convention would have been unthinkable 5 years in the past.

A rift that began in 2013 confirmed the primary signal of mending when images have been shared world wide of the “landmark handshake” between Erdogan and el-Sisi on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

From the Turkish facet, the rapprochement stemmed from a common shift in overseas coverage from 2020-21 onwards. For Egypt, rapprochement got here after reconciliation with Turkey’s ally Qatar in early 2021, its struggling economic system probably, making it extra open to alternative.

Relations had soured after then-Normal el-Sisi ousted late President Mohamed Morsi in a preferred coup in 2013 and began a crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.

Erdogan turned one of many fiercest critics of el-Sisi’s energy seize, saying he would by no means recognise him as Egypt’s legit chief.

In Egypt, Turkey was seen as one in every of its fundamental enemies as a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was being designated a terrorist organisation. Each nations expelled one another’s ambassadors and relations have been downgraded.

Many Egyptian Islamist opposition members discovered refuge in Turkey, from the place they operated crucial tv channels, which frequently magnified requires protests in Egypt in opposition to el-Sisi.

In return, Egyptian media cheered the coup try in Turkey in 2016 and deplored its failure.

Different points emerged over time. One was Turkey’s intention to drill for pure gasoline in waters close to Cyprus in 2019. Egypt was eyeing its personal agreements with Cyprus to profit from its offshore gasoline reserves.

In Libya’s battle, Egypt and Turkey supported reverse sides.

Tensions have been at their peak in early 2020 when Turkey-backed troops in Libya superior eastwards from the capital, Tripoli. El-Sisi declared a crimson line past which he wouldn’t enable the Turkey-backed troops to advance.

For a short second, there was worry Egypt would enter right into a confrontation with Turkey in Libya however the advance stopped on the metropolis of Sirte, el-Sisi’s crimson line.

A softening

From that second, tensions between Egypt and Turkey began to ease steadily.

Previous to that, Turkey’s regional function was geared in the direction of laborious energy centred round its regional pursuits, defined Aykac.

It intervened militarily in conflicts resembling in Syria and the utilization and supply of Turkish drones in different regional conflicts, resembling in Libya, Ethiopia and Azerbaijan.

Remoted because of these insurance policies and going through inside stress as its economic system suffered, Turkey determined to vary ways, Aykac stated.

Turkey reversed course in 2020-21, hoping {that a} return to specializing in being an necessary regional actor who may operate as a bridge and mediator would profit it.

Smooth energy, commerce and diplomacy have been on the core of this coverage, and it sought regional rapprochements, altering “from a inflexible, unilateral overseas coverage to a extra fluid one targeted on cooperation”, in keeping with Aykac.

In 2021, Turkey ordered Arabic channels working within the nation to tone down their criticism of el-Sisi, Egyptian opposition determine Ayman Nour stated on the time.

In early 2023, 50 Egyptians in Turkey have been arrested beneath the pretext of clamping down on overseas nationals with out visas.

Egyptian media and commentators stated Egyptian opposition figures have been amongst these arrested, and thought of it a part of the rapprochement.

In July 2023, Egypt and Turkey restored ties and reappointed ambassadors to one another’s capitals, expressing their hopes that this is able to be the beginning of a useful new chapter between them.