The normalization and strategic cooperation process between Türkiye and Egypt, which has accelerated in recent years, has taken another step forward. During his visit to Egypt on August 13–14, 2026, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held intensive talks on bilateral relations, trade, transport links and regional developments.
Fidan attended the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group in the Egyptian city of El Alamein.
During the meeting, Türkiye and Egypt signed important documents concerning the two countries’ economic and commercial relations.
New step on the free trade agreement
According to information released by Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Hakan Fidan signed a decision amending Protocol No. 3 on “Originating Products” under the Türkiye-Egypt Free Trade Agreement, together with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh.
Fidan and Abdelatty also signed the minutes of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group meeting.
These steps mark a new phase in efforts to develop economic relations and bilateral trade between the two countries.
Egypt joins Türkiye-Africa transport initiative
A notable development also took place in the transport sector during the visit.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty signed Egypt’s instrument of accession to the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation to strengthen transport links between Türkiye and African coastal countries.
With this step, Egypt joined Türkiye’s initiative to develop transport links with African coastal countries.
Given Türkiye’s efforts in recent years to develop relations with African countries in trade, logistics, ports and transport corridors, Egypt’s participation in the initiative is significant for regional trade.
Fidan and Abdelatty hold one-on-one meeting
As part of his talks in El Alamein, Hakan Fidan also met with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty.
The two ministers held a joint press conference after their meeting.
In addition to the rapidly developing political and economic relations between Türkiye and Egypt, regional crises were also among the key topics discussed.
Ankara and Cairo are increasing their diplomatic contacts on many critical issues in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly Gaza, Libya, Syria and Sudan.
Key meeting with head of Egyptian intelligence
One of the notable meetings on Fidan’s Egypt program was with Major General Hassan Rashad, head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry confirmed in the official visit program that the two met in El Alamein.
Although details of the meeting were not made public, the contact is significant because it demonstrates that Türkiye and Egypt continue to engage not only in diplomatic and economic fields, but also in security and intelligence.
Trilateral meeting between Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia also joined the diplomatic activity in El Alamein.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held a trilateral meeting with Hakan Fidan and Badr Abdelatty.
The three foreign ministers discussed recent developments in the region.
The meeting took place at a time of increasing diplomatic coordination among Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Notable contact after the Mecca Defense Agreement
The trilateral meeting in El Alamein is also significant because it followed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement recently signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The agreement signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan established a mutual defense mechanism under which an attack against one party would be considered an attack against the other parties.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had previously said that Egypt could also join this structure in the future.
For this reason, the meeting of the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in El Alamein is being closely followed as part of the emerging diplomatic and security coordination in the region.
A new era in Ankara-Cairo relations
Relations between Türkiye and Egypt have rapidly normalized in recent years after political tensions that lasted for many years.
The new process, which began with reciprocal visits by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, expanded into areas including foreign policy, the economy, trade, energy, defense and regional security.
Fidan’s August 13–14 visit points to a new phase in the institutionalization of relations.
The documents signed at the Joint Planning Group meeting, Egypt’s participation in the Türkiye-Africa transport initiative and the trilateral diplomatic contact involving Saudi Arabia show that rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo is no longer limited to bilateral relations.
Türkiye and Egypt are expected to further develop cooperation in the coming period, particularly on trade, links with Africa and regional crises in the Middle East.
