Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, has called for greater regional solidarity and economic integration during his participation in the Arab Ministerial Meeting held Friday evening in Istanbul.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ gathering of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states.
Arab foreign ministers convened to address pressing regional issues, with a particular focus on the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and the continuing Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Discussions centered on the mounting impact of these conflicts on regional security and stability.
Dr. Abdel Aati underscored the importance of a unified Arab position to navigate these growing challenges.
“The repercussions of these escalations are not confined to one region—they ripple through the broader Middle East and beyond,” he said during the session.
Beyond the political dialogue, Dr. Abdel Aati held a separate meeting with leading Turkish business figures, underscoring Egypt’s commitment to enhancing economic ties with Turkey.
He highlighted the growing strength of bilateral trade, which reached approximately $9 billion in 2024, noting that Turkey has become one of the key destinations for Egyptian exports.
“Turkey is a strategic partner, and Egypt serves as a vital gateway for Turkish exports to the African continent,” the minister said, emphasizing the mutual benefits of deepened economic cooperation.
He also expressed Egypt’s ambition to elevate bilateral trade volume to $15 billion, in line with the vision set by the political leadership of both nations.
The Free Trade Agreement between Egypt and Turkey, in force since 2005, has been pivotal to this progress, and Dr. Abdel Aati proposed expanding its scope to further ease trade flows.
The minister praised the recent surge in Turkish investments in Egypt, particularly within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, citing new government initiatives aimed at supporting foreign investors.
“We are determined to remove any barriers to Turkish investments,” he stated, referring to the recent decision by the Egyptian Prime Minister to establish a dedicated unit for facilitating Turkish investments.
The Istanbul meetings reaffirmed Cairo’s dual strategy of fostering diplomatic consensus on regional conflicts while also cultivating robust economic partnerships—an approach Egypt views as vital to regional resilience and prosperity.
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