May 5 2021, Egyptian and Turkish diplomats met in Cairo, Egypt, for consultations on restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries at the ambassadorial level. It was the first formal diplomatic consultation between the two sides to improve relations since a rift in 2013.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Thursday evening announcing the news. The statement said the talks, chaired by Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Llosa and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Ernar, will be held in the Egyptian capital Cairo from 5 to 6 local time. This is an “exploratory” political consultation that will focus on “the necessary steps that could normalize bilateral and regional relations”.
The Turkish side also said that the consultation was attended by the deputy foreign minister of both sides. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has previously revealed that he will hold further talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry after the vice-foreign minister-level consultations, possibly to discuss the appointment of an ambassador.
Relations between Turkey and Egypt deteriorated in July 2013 when then-Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who had close ties to Turkey, was removed from office. The two countries have announced the expulsion of each other’s ambassadors and lowered diplomatic relations between the two countries to the charge d’affaires level.
