Turkey's Foreign Minister to visit Egpyt after 11 years

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Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Foreign Minister of Turkey will be making an official visit to Egypt on Saturday (March 18). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Minister will be visiting Egypt upon the invitation by his counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Çavuşoğlu will be the first Foreign Minister of Turkey to visit Egypt after 11 years. Egypt's Foreign Minister Shoukry visited Turkey on February 27 following the Maraş centered earthquakes for solidarity and to convey his condolences. Egypt also sent humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims.

"Normalization"

Shoukry's visit was evaluated as an important step for the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Çavuşoğlu had said after Shoukry's visit, "As you know we are opening new pages in our relations with Egypt. The meeting between our President Erdoğan and Egypt's President Sisi in Doha was very fruitful."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had shaken hands with and talked to Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

Relations strained since 2013

Relations between the two countries have been strained since 2013 when Egypt's army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ankara has refused to establish relations with the administration of Abdal Fattah al-Sisi while Cairo accused Turkey of offering protection for members of the Muslim Brotherhood, which it considers a "terrorist" group. (NT/PE)