Egypt, Turkey Reinstate Ambassadors in Move Toward Restoring Full Diplomatic Ties
In a significant advancement toward mending diplomatic ties, Egypt and Turkey announced on Tuesday the dispatch of ambassadors to each other’s countries, a first in years. Salih Mutlu Şen has been named as the Turkish ambassador to Cairo, and Amr Elhamamy as the Egyptian ambassador to Ankara, according to a joint statement.
The statement underscored the decision’s objective “to establish normal relations between the two countries once again” and the shared determination to enhance bilateral relations for the benefit of both nations.
Relations between Egypt and Turkey became strained after the Egyptian military’s 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi amid widespread protests against his contentious year of rule. Morsi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a group Turkey supported, but which Egypt has since designated a terrorist organization.
Egypt recently marked the 10th anniversary of the anti-Brotherhood protests on June 30.
The warming ties between Egypt and Turkey are part of Turkey’s strategy to rebuild relations with regional countries and counter its international isolation in the face of economic challenges. Recently, Turkey has also made moves to repair ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
