Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a surprise meeting late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, officials from both countries announced on Monday. The meeting, the first of its kind in several months, focused on strengthening ties between the two countries, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency. The two leaders discussed “mutual concerns for promoting common cooperation in all fields” and agreed to continue “coordination and consultation” on regional and international issues. The statement did not provide further details on the talks.
The meeting comes as Egypt struggles to overcome an economic crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising global energy prices. In 2022, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates pledged a total of $22 billion in deposits and direct investments in Egypt, but recently, Gulf states have been calling on Cairo to undertake reforms in exchange for financial assistance. The meeting between el-Sisi and the Saudi crown prince may be seen as a sign that the two sides are trying to repair frayed ties.
The meeting also comes amid ongoing efforts by Gulf Arab states to improve relations with regional rivals Iran and Turkey. Egypt has close ties with both countries and has called for dialogue and cooperation to resolve regional conflicts.