Turkey’s Erdogan, Egypt’s el-Sisi meeting updates: Erdogan arrives in Cairo
These were the updates on the meeting between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Egyptian counterpart, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
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- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is due to host his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after years of fractured ties between the two countries.
- Erdogan’s visit to Egypt is the first since Cairo and Ankara last year appointed ambassadors to restore relations at the highest diplomatic level.
- The Turkish president has said Israel’s war on Gaza will top the agenda on the talks.
- Other issues to be discussed include the economy, trade, tourism, energy and defence.
Three killed in Israeli attack in southern Lebanon: Report
Three people were killed in Israeli air raids on a home in the southern Lebanese town of Qantara at dawn, according to the official Lebanese News Agency.
Areas around the town of Ayta ash Shab were also hit by Israeli army artillery, but no casualties were reported, it said.
Israeli forces are cutting off roads linking the two southern towns in attacks, the news report added.
Reconnaissance aircraft flew over villages around the Litani river overnight. Analysts say Israel is trying to push Hezbollah forces further north to the boundary of the river.
On Wednesday, 10 civilians and three Hezbollah fighters were killed in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, the deadliest day for Lebanese civilians in four months of hostilities across the Lebanon-Israel border.
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You can read more on the significance of today’s meeting between el-Sisi and Erdogan here.
Here’s what happened
Our live coverage is coming to an end. Here is a quick recap of today’s news:
- Egypt President el-Sisi met his Turkish counterpart, Erdogan, after years of fractured ties between the two countries.
- El-Sisi greeted Erdogan as he emerged from his plane in Cairo with his wife.
- During a joint news conference, Erdogan said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza topped the agenda of talks with el-Sisi.
- El-Sisi accepted an invitation to Turkey from Erdogan, who said the visit would be a new turning point in bilateral relations.
- El-Sisi said Egypt sought to raise trade volume with Turkey to $15bn over the next few years.
A 360-degree turn
Compared with what happened within the last 10 years, it’s a 360-degree turn.
But of course, there is a reason for this, for both countries and for both leaders, not only for their own national benefits but also for the stability of the region.
It was only Erdogan who didn’t want to recognise the government of el-Sisi, and he has been calling him names – President el-Sisi calling President Erdogan names as well.
But since 2019, we have seen that Turkey is trying not to get involved in the domestic politics of its neighbouring region. And let’s not forget that Egypt is an important trading partner of Turkey.
Erdogan thanks Egypt for Israel stance
Forced depopulation of Gaza is “unacceptable”, Erdogan says, thanking Egypt for its stance against Israeli aggression.
A new turning point
Turkish President Erdogan confirmed that he invited el-Sisi to Turkey, saying the visit will be a new turning point in bilateral relations.
Gaza tops agenda
During the joint news conference, Turkey’s Erdogan says the humanitarian crisis in Gaza topped the agenda of talks with el-Sisi.
More from the joint presser
Egypt’s el-Sisi says he looks forward to accepting President Erdogan’s invitation to visit Turkey in April to strengthen bilateral relations.
Erdogan and el-Sisi hold joint news conference in Cairo.
El-Sisi, speaking at a joint news conference with Erdogan in Cairo, says Egypt seeks to raise trade volume with Turkey to $15bn over the next few years.
WATCH: Scenes from Cairo
Erdogan posted to X a video of him and el-Sisi at the welcoming ceremony in Cairo.
Mısır'da Resmî KarÅılama Töreni https://t.co/llOO7Y8jRE
— Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan (@RTErdogan) February 14, 2024
(Translation: Official Welcome Ceremony in Egypt)
Red carpet greeting
El-Sisi greeted Erdogan as he emerged from his plane in Cairo with his wife, live television footage showed.
The two leaders were then seen conversing as they walked along a red carpet amid a fanfare.
According to a draft programme, el-Sisi and Erdogan were to hold bilateral talks before a meeting between the two delegations, with a formal dinner planned.
Erdogan lands in Cairo
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in the Egyptian capital on his first visit in more than a decade.
Erdogan was welcomed at Cairo airport by his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and the two men exchanged a handshake on the tarmac, live footage of his arrival showed.
El-Sisi and Erdogan to discuss Gaza ceasefire: President’s office
Below is the full statement from the office of el-Sisi on today’s upcoming meeting with Erdogan:
“Today, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi meets with the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Cairo.
“The two Presidents are expected to hold an expanded session of talks on ways to strengthen joint efforts towards fostering closer bilateral relations.
“President el-Sisi and Turkish President Erdoğan are also set to discuss a multitude of regional dossiers and challenges, primarily reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to the people in the Strip.”
Trust between Egypt and Turkey ‘still a question mark’
Regional necessities pushed the two countries to restore their ties after 10 years. It’s not only Egypt but also Turkey that needed those ties to be tight again.
After the Gulf countries supported Egypt after the military coup in 2013, Turkey was isolated in a way. Also, Turkey’s relations with Israel were also strained. There was tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially after an agreement between Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Israel. That’s why Turkey wanted to be back in the game as it has the longest shore in the Eastern Mediterranean.
From Cairo’s perspective, especially the Abraham Accords (between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel), this also made Cairo feel a little bit lonely and concerned that its political weight could be downsized.
Whether the trust will be built again is a question mark.
Turkey’s foreign policy ‘more realistic’
Former Turkish diplomat Uluc Ozulker told Al Jazeera that the meeting between Erdogan and el-Sisi marks an effort towards the improvement of ties.
“You can’t ignore Egypt’s importance in the Arab world,” he said, adding that Turkey has adjusted its foreign policy.
“Turkish foreign policy has become more realistic in the past three years. Balance and support are highlighted,” Ozulker said. “Our current situation requires us to acknowledge and live with the reality.”
WATCH: What challenges do Turkey, Egypt face in restoring ties?
In March, Turkey and Egypt took steps to restore full diplomatic relations that could have implications for the entire region.
Watch Inside Story here to learn more about the challenges the two countries face.
Turkey and Egypt aiming to extend diplomatic thaw at Cairo summit
After years of diplomatic hostility, relations between the two countries have warmed recently.
However, while broadly welcoming of any detente, analysts were cautious as to how much difference this might make to the continuing war in Gaza.
Read our story in full here.
Turkish aid for Gaza arrives in Egypt before meeting: Report
A Turkish military aircraft carrying medical and humanitarian aid for Gaza, along with 12 doctors and nurses, has arrived in Egypt’s El Arish, according to the Anadolu news agency.
The A400M, loaded with about 1.5 tonnes of medical supplies, departed for Egypt at about 7am (04:00 GMT) and reached about two hours later.
WATCH: Erdogan set to meet with el-Sisi
A look at two decades of ties as Egypt, Turkey move to end rift
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is due to meet with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan after years of fractured ties between the two countries.
Relations between the two countries had soured following the overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in a coup in 2013.
In April, the two countries first made progress towards re-establishing full diplomatic relations when Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.
You can read a timeline of relations between the two over the last 20 years here.
Historic handshake
Erdogan and el-Sisi met and shook hands for the first time on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar in November 2022.
The brief meeting took place in the presence of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who reportedly brokered the gathering.
The photo displayed the unprecedented meeting, which had been unthinkable a few years earlier.
Increasing trade on the agenda
Increasing the trade volume between the two countries is high on the agenda of the two leaders’ meeting.
Turkey and Egypt’s trade volume is almost $7bn. Egypt’s sales to Turkey are worth $3.65bn, while the latter’s exports to the former stand at $3.34bn.
Currently, Turkey mainly imports plastic and plastic products, mineral fuel and oil, artificial textile materials and inorganic chemicals from Egypt.
Egypt mainly buys iron and steel, machinery, and mechanical and automotive parts from Turkey.
Turkey to sell drones to Egypt, official says
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Egypt intends to buy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkey.
“The process of normalising our relations with Egypt has been largely completed,” said Fidan in a televised interview earlier this month.
“Normalisation in our relations is important for Egypt to have certain technologies; we have an agreement to provide unmanned air vehicles and other technologies [to Egypt],” Fidan said without further elaborating.
He also said that cooperation with Egypt is important within the scope of the Israel-Palestine issue and security in the Mediterranean.
Gaza to top the agenda of el-Sisi meeting: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Israel’s war on Gaza will top the agenda in his talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
“During the talks to be held in Egypt, we will look into what more we can do for our brothers in Gaza,” he said. “As Turkey, we will continue to make every effort to stop the bloodshed.
“We will discuss various issues, including economy, trade, tourism, energy and defence, with Mr Sisi,” Erdogan added.