Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has announced a consensus with Türkiye on ways to tackle the ongoing crises affecting the region, following a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in El Alamein, Egypt.
In a joint press conference on Saturday, Abdelatty described the current phase of Egypt-Türkiye relations as a “significant moment of strategic alignment.”
The Egyptian minister expressed hopes to “increase Turkish direct investments and intensify collaboration in production, manufacturing, energy, transport, and tourism sectors, aiming to raise bilateral trade volume to $15 billion.”
He emphasised the “shared condemnation of Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza,” noting that Cairo and Ankara condemned these acts as “flagrant violations of international law and humanitarian norms, undermining the Palestinian right to self-determination and an independent state.”
Abdelatty warned that “Israel’s systematic starvation and genocide policy fuels conflict, hatred, and extremism in the region,” reaffirming that “neither Israel nor the region will achieve security or stability without realising a Palestinian state.”
Both sides stressed the necessity of Israel lifting all restrictions on all crossings into Gaza.
The ministers confirmed their “commitment to unite efforts and employ all available means to confront the Israeli occupation plan and its repercussions,” the official said.
Other priority regional topics included Libya, where Abdelatty stressed the “urgent need to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously, dismantle militias, and ensure the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries,” calling this “the sole guarantee for security and stability in Libya.”
The ministers also discussed Sudan, emphasising “the importance of reaching a ceasefire and ensuring aid delivery.”
Regarding Syria, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s “rejection of any moves jeopardising the security, safety, and stability of the Syrian people.”
He called for international unity to “prevent Syria from becoming a source of regional instability,” condemned Israeli violations and occupation of Syrian territory, and strongly rejected Israel’s breach of the 1974 Syria-Israel Disengagement Agreement as a flagrant violation of international law.
The talks also touched on developments in the Horn of Africa, where Abdelatty stressed the importance of “respecting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,” condemning “any interference in its internal affairs to safeguard its security and stability.”
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tammam Khalaf said the two ministers expressed mutual commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across various fields, especially as this year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Türkiye.
Emergency OIC meeting
Fidan, on the other hand, said that Türkiye will convene an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address Israel’s plan to fully occupy Gaza.
"(Regarding Israel’s Gaza plan) As the Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, we have decided to call the OIC to a meeting," Fidan told reporters during the press conference.
Fidan also condemned Israel’s intentions, saying: "We completely reject (Israel’s) intention to fully occupy Gaza; this plan is a new phase of Israel’s expansionist and genocidal policy."
He added: "As Türkiye and Egypt, we will continue to stand against such scenarios."
Highlighting humanitarian efforts, Fidan also noted: "We have sent approximately 102,000 tons of humanitarian aid for our brothers in Gaza to date. We thank Egypt for its close cooperation in delivering the aid."
