Egypt, Turkey sign 20 agreements
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egypt’s leader Abdul Fattah Al Sissi said they wanted to deepen their cooperation as they met in Ankara Wednesday to seal their mended ties.
“We will strengthen our cooperation in all areas,” said Erdogan, who visited Al Sissi in Cairo in mid-February when the two leaders said they had turned over a “new leaf” in their ties.
Both countries signed 20 agreements covering energy, defence and industrial sectors, aiming to boost trade from the current $10 billion to $15 billion in the initial phase.
The agreements mark a significant step towards repairing strained relations between the two nations.
Ambassador Ahmed Fahmy, Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, said Al Sissi’s historic visit to Turkey represents a new milestone in strengthening relations between the two nations. It builds on President Erdogan’s historic visit to Egypt in February and aims to establish a new phase of friendship and cooperation, both bilaterally and at the regional level, where many challenges necessitate consultation and coordination between the two countries.
The two leaders discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the energy sector, with Turkey seeking to import liquefied natural gas from Egypt and boost commercial shipping between the ports of Mersin and Alexandria.