Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan met in El Alamein on Thursday evening to co-chair the second Egypt-Türkiye Joint Planning Group.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to close bilateral co-ordination and the quadrilateral framework involving Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to enhance regional security and stability.
The talks built upon the outcomes of February’s High-Level Strategic Co-operation Council in Cairo, headed by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Senior officials from both nations’ investment, trade, petroleum, and health ministries also attended.
Representatives of the ministries of investment, trade, petroleum, and health and population from both countries attended the meeting.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement issued on Friday, the meeting focused on strengthening economic, trade and investment ties, with the goal of raising bilateral trade to $15 billion, in line with the agreement reached by the two countries’ leaders in 2024.
Both ministers emphasised the need to activate existing co-operation mechanisms, remove barriers hindering economic potential, and accelerate efforts to broaden the bilateral free trade agreement.
Abdel-Aati outlined measures to support Turkish investors, including the Fast Track mechanism for licences and approvals, and a joint working group chaired by the ministries of industry, investment and foreign trade to monitor Turkish investments and resolve challenges.
Abdel-Aati invited Türkiye to consider establishing a fully serviced Turkish industrial zone in Egypt, particularly in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Priority sectors include automotive manufacturing, aluminium, equipment, chemicals, textiles and ready‑made garments.
The ministers reviewed consultations on reactivating the maritime roll‑on/roll‑off (Ro‑Ro) shipping route to ease the transport of goods, especially perishables, and strengthen logistical connectivity between Egyptian and Turkish ports.
Abdel-Aati encouraged Turkish investment in Egyptian mining projects, highlighting opportunities for joint exploration, processing and scientific research ahead of the Egypt Mining Forum in September.
The ministers exchanged views on regional developments. They condemned Israeli violations in Gaza and the West Bank, called for an immediate halt to escalation, and stressed intensified international efforts to deliver humanitarian aid.
On Sudan, Abdel-Aati underscored the need for a ceasefire and a Sudanese‑owned political process.
On Libya, he reaffirmed Egypt’s support for a “Libyan‑Libyan” settlement free of external interference, paving the way for elections and stronger state institutions.
