Egypt and Turkey Deepen Diplomatic Ties with Inaugural Joint Planning Group Meeting in Ankara

Historic Meeting in Ankara Signals New Era

The Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Turkey convened in Ankara on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, for the inaugural meeting of the Joint Planning Group (JPG). Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, co-chaired the significant talks, which aim to further solidify the rapprochement between the two regional powers. This meeting is a direct outcome of a joint declaration signed by the Presidents of Egypt and Turkey in Cairo on February 14, 2024, and serves as a preparatory step for the upcoming High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting, scheduled to be co-chaired by the two presidents in Cairo in 2026.

Expanding Economic and Strategic Cooperation

A primary focus of the discussions was the enhancement of bilateral relations across various sectors, with an emphasis on elevating them to a full strategic partnership. Both ministers expressed a shared ambition to significantly boost economic and investment cooperation, setting an ambitious target to increase trade volume between the two nations to $15 billion within the next five years. The agenda also included collaboration in critical areas such as:

• Renewable energy and carbon reduction
• Mineral exploration
• Trade and investment
• Transport, education, and tourism
• Information technology

The ministers also explored ways to create a more conducive investment environment, offering incentives and streamlining administrative procedures.

Addressing Regional Peace and Stability

Regional security and stability were central to the talks, with particular attention paid to the ongoing situation in Gaza. The foreign ministers reiterated their strong support for the Palestinian people and discussed the upcoming International Conference on the Early Recovery and Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which Egypt is slated to host in 2025. Discussions also touched upon supporting stability in the Horn of Africa and respecting Somalia's sovereignty, alongside plans to enhance Egyptian-Turkish cooperation on development projects across the African continent, focusing on infrastructure, agriculture, and energy. The meeting underscored the commitment of both nations to coordinate efforts for regional peace, including their roles as guarantors in the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal.

A Decade of Rapprochement Culminates in Renewed Ties

The current momentum in Egypt-Turkey relations follows a decade of strained ties that began after the 2013 overthrow of Mohamed Morsi in Egypt. The path to normalization accelerated with a notable handshake between Presidents Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November 2022. This was followed by reciprocal presidential visits in 2024, with President Erdogan visiting Cairo in February and President El-Sisi traveling to Ankara in September, during which 15 bilateral agreements were signed, laying a robust foundation for a new phase of cooperation. Foreign Minister Abdelatty's current visit marks his third to Turkey this year, signaling the growing intensity of bilateral engagement. The year 2025 also holds symbolic importance as it marks the centennial of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Turkey, a milestone celebrated during the meeting.