The foreign ministries of Egypt and Turkey announced today, Tuesday, that the two countries have exchanged ambassadors for the first time in ten years in an effort to restore diplomatic relations to normal.
Egypt's foreign ministry stated that Amr Al-Hamami will become Egypt's ambassador to Ankara, while Turkey has nominated Salih Mutlu Şen as its ambassador to Cairo. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that "the decision to exchange ambassadors between Egypt and Turkey will contribute to improving relations between the two countries." Fidan regarded the appointment of the ambassadors as a pivotal stage in the return to normalcy in relations. He noted at a press conference that "from now on, our relations will continue to improve quickly in political, economic, and all other fields. This is the will of our president and our government."
The two countries have not exchanged ambassadors since 2013, when Egypt expelled the Turkish ambassador, accusing Ankara of supporting organizations undermining its stability. Consultations between senior officials of the foreign ministries in Ankara and Cairo began in 2021, with Turkey seeking to improve relations with Egypt, the UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
The pace of restoring diplomatic ties between Ankara and Cairo accelerated after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shook hands in Doha during the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals. Sisi and Erdoğan agreed in May to exchange ambassadors.
