Egypt, Turkey agree on upgrading diplomatic relations

Meeting bringing the Turkish president and his Egyptian counterpart together on margins of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar – internet
Meeting bringing the Turkish president and his Egyptian counterpart together on margins of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar – internet

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to start upgrading diplomatic relations, exchanging ambassadors immediately, Egypt’s presidency said on Monday.

The Egyptian presidency said, in a statement, that Sisi spoke with Erdogan in a phone call to congratulate him for winning presidential elections.

Relations were severely strained in 2013, after Egypt’s then-army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, led the ouster of Mohamed Mursi, Egypt’s elected president and an ally of Ankara. However, the relations have gradually thawed since 2021.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Turkey in April and met his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, as they agreed to restore diplomatic relations.

Reporting by Emma Jamal