El-alamein: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy in the coastal city of El-Alamein, Egypt. Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed the meeting took place on Thursday, although no further details were provided about their discussions.
According to TRTworld.com, Fidan also engaged in talks with Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, the director of Egypt's General Intelligence Service. This visit marks the beginning of Fidan's two-day trip to Egypt, during which he is set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other senior Egyptian officials. The meetings aim to discuss bilateral relations, review current agreements, and explore mutual investment opportunities, with a shared objective of increasing the bilateral trade volume to $15 billion.
The Turkish foreign minister's agenda also includes discussions on cooperation in sectors such as hydrocarbons, electricity grid integration, energy infrastructure, and mining. Additionally, Fidan will evaluate steps to enhance existing military and defense industry cooperation, emphasizing the necessity of addressing regional issues through dialogue and diplomacy based on regional ownership and shared responsibility.
Fidan will underline Trkiye's commitment to continue collaborative efforts bilaterally and through multilateral platforms like the R4 initiative, involving Trkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the visit will feature the second meeting of the Trkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, co-chaired by Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. This meeting will review outcomes from the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council's second meeting held in Cairo in February and prepare for the third meeting planned in Trkiye in 2028.
Key regional issues such as the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza, Syria, Libya, and the Eastern Mediterranean are also on Fidan's agenda. He plans to express support for diplomatic efforts to restore the ceasefire between the US and Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He will stress the importance of halting ongoing attacks in Gaza, implementing the ceasefire, and ensuring humanitarian aid delivery.
Fidan is expected to discuss the second phase of the Gaza Peace Plan and Israel's attacks on Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. He will emphasize joint efforts for Libya's stability and security, reaffirming Trkiye's support for Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Lastly, Fidan aims to share insights on the roles Trkiye and Egypt can play in fostering lasting peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.