Egypt’s foreign minister to visit Türkiye as ties improve
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri (L) shakes hands with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, in Adana, southern Türkiye, Feb. 27, 2023. (AFP Photo)


Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is likely to visit Türkiye this week again, the government in Ankara said Monday, adding that progress could be made toward reinstatement of envoys after relations ended a decade ago.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told private broadcaster A Haber that his counterpart would come soon, this week hopefully, with details to be given on Wednesday.

"It is time to take concrete steps," he said. "During Shoukry's visit, we can take steps to appoint ambassadors."

Çavuşoğlu visited Cairo last month, a decade after diplomatic links were cut by the overthrow of Egypt's then president and Ankara's ally Mohamed Mursi.

Shoukry also visited Türkiye two weeks ago to show solidarity after the massive earthquakes that killed over 50,000 people in Türkiye and Syria.

Shoukry said last month talks with Türkiye on the possibility of restoring ambassadors would happen at the appropriate time.

Consultations between senior foreign ministry officials in Ankara and Cairo began in 2021 as Türkiye sought better ties with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

But normalization between Ankara and Cairo accelerated after Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shook hands in Doha at the World Cup.

The presidents may meet in person again after Türkiye's May 14 election, Çavuşoğlu added.