The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, fueled by Israel’s ongoing violations despite the cease-fire, remains the top priority on the shared agenda of Türkiye and Egypt as the two countries step up coordination on regional stability, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el-Sissi, Erdoğan thanked Egypt for its cooperation in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
He said the Palestinian cause remains the central item on Türkiye and Egypt’s shared agenda, stressing that the humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel's violations continues despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. He noted that Ankara is working with Cairo to advance initiatives aimed at making peace in Gaza possible and expressed confidence that this cooperation will continue. Erdoğan added that Türkiye is prepared to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction as soon as conditions allow.
He said they also addressed regional issues, including achieving lasting stability in Libya and a cease-fire in Sudan.
For his part, el-Sissi said the talks with Erdoğan were productive, noting that the two sides held a fruitful meeting and signed several memoranda of understanding across multiple fields.
The Egyptian president underscored that the region is prone to crises and stressed the need for stronger cooperation to reach sustainable political solutions as quickly as possible. He added that a two-state solution is essential for Palestine and that peace must be restored in the Gaza Strip.
Emphasizing Cairo’s readiness to deepen ties, el-Sissi said the two leaders underlined the importance of continuing to build and strengthen this cooperative approach in order to achieve lasting political solutions to the region’s underlying crises.
El-Sissi also noted that the two sides reaffirmed their intention to boost bilateral trade to $15 billion, saying both governments aim to remove barriers that could slow progress toward that target.
He stressed that closer coordination among regional states is essential to preserving stability and security, adding that Egypt and Türkiye share the view that deeper cooperation is needed to meet the challenges facing the broader region.
In a later address, speaking at the Türkiye–Egypt Business Forum, President Erdoğan said Egypt is Türkiye’s largest trade partner in Africa. He noted that cooperation between the two countries has already contributed to regional stability, adding that Ankara aims to channel this momentum into more productive investment and trade ties.
Erdoğan highlighted that Türkiye ranks third among the countries to which Egypt exports the most, with a 7.4 percent share, and seventh among the countries from which Egypt imports, with a 3.4 percent share. He described these figures as encouraging but stressed that they remain short of the two nations’ shared goal of reaching $15 billion in bilateral trade. He said he would continue working closely with Egyptian President Abdulfettah es-Sisi to meet that target.
The president added that Türkiye and Egypt are two major regional actors at the center of key developments on the international agenda and emphasized Ankara’s intention to cooperate with Cairo in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Erdoğan said both countries recognize that their cooperation supports not only bilateral ties but also the broader stability of the region, and expressed a desire to make full use of this potential, particularly in investment and trade.
The two leaders oversaw the signing of a broad series of agreements in Cairo on Tuesday as Ankara and Cairo continue accelerating their diplomatic rapprochement.
The ceremony took place at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace, following a private meeting and delegation-level talks between the two leaders. The sides signed the Joint Declaration of the 2nd Meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, reaffirming their commitment to elevate ties to a new strategic phase.
Türkiye and Egypt also concluded a wide set of cooperation documents spanning defense, trade, public health, agriculture, and social services. The agreements included a military framework deal, cooperation between the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency and the Egyptian Drug Authority, and new memoranda covering plant quarantine and veterinary services.
Additional accords strengthened collaboration between the countries’ trade ministries, as well as between their ministries responsible for social protection and youth and sports. Officials said the agreements mark a new era of coordinated action aimed at boosting stability and economic partnership across the region.
Arriving from Saudi Arabia, President Erdoğan received a warm welcome in Egypt. He is accompanied by a delegation of ministers and businesspeople. Türkiye and Egypt are working closely to halt Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip, secure a lasting cease-fire and create conditions for Gaza’s reconstruction. Erdoğan and el-Sissi signed a declaration of intent at the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace held in Egypt in October 2025, which was also attended by U.S. President Donald Trump.
