Egypt, Türkiye restore diplomatic ties after decade of tension

Cairo, Jul 4 (EFE).- Egypt and Türkiye have restored diplomatic ties and appointed ambassadors to their capitals after a decade of strained relations, both countries announced on Tuesday.

The move came after months of high-level talks and following years of tensions sparked by a 2013 coup led by now-Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi to remove the then democratically elected Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who had close ties to Ankara.

“Egypt and Türkiye upgrade diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors. Egypt nominates Amr Elhamamy as its Ambassador in Ankara, and Türkiye dominates Salih Mutlu Şen as its ambassador in Cairo,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The decision aims to restore normal relations for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples,” the statement added.

In 2021, Egypt and Türkiye launched a gradual rapprochement by re-establishing trade ties, and in February and March took further steps in restoring relations at a diplomatic level when the foreign affairs chiefs of both nations met in Cairo and Ankara and agreed to maximize bilateral relations.

Al Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan staged an unusual handshake in Doha on the sidelines of the Qatar World Cup in November 2022, during which they had “a very positive meeting,” according to Ankara.

Bilateral relations between Egypt and Türkiye were strained following Al Sisi’s 2013 coup which deposed Morsi’s Islamist government, of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization supported by Türkiye and considered a terrorist group by Egypt. EFE

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