Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Ankara on Wednesday for their second round of talks in the past six months, five years after swearing that he would “never” meet Mr El Sisi.
“I would first like to express my pleasure in hosting the President of Egypt, Mr Abdel Fattah El Sisi, in our country,” said Mr Erdogan in a joint press conference with the Egyptian President on Wednesday evening, his tone reflecting the change in Egypt-Turkey relations.
The half-day visit was Mr El Sisi’s first trip to Turkey as President, as Cairo and Ankara continue to repair diplomatic ties bruised by more than a decade of political and ideological disputes.
The two leaders held one-on-one talks at the presidential complex in Ankara before chairing the first meeting of the Turkey-Egypt strategic co-operation council, a body that was restructured following Mr Erdogan's Cairo trip earlier this year.
“I underline that after my first visit to Turkey, we are establishing a new phase of co-operation between the two countries,” Mr El Sisi said. Ministers from the two countries signed about 20 preliminary, non-binding agreements in fields including energy, defence, agriculture, tourism, environment and climate change, and construction.
A 36-point joint declaration published after the meeting pledged closer collaboration on issues from health and education to counter terrorism and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Commerce and investment were among the most important agenda items during the visit, the leaders said at the joint press conference.
“Our discussions took into account the importance of facilitating transport and enhancing free trade between the two countries to increase commercial exchange to $15 billion in the coming years, in addition to enhancing investment between two countries and granting facilitations for Turkish businessmen,” said Mr El Sisi.
Despite the diplomatic hostility, trade between the two countries has risen steadily in the past decade. Turkey has been seeking to expand foreign trade as its domestic economy suffered, with growth sluggish and inflation currently running at more than 50 per cent.
Turkey-Egypt trade topped $4.9 billion in the first seven months of 2024, according to The National’s calculations, based on Turkish Statistical Institute data.
Items traditionally traded include plastics, electronics and minerals, and Turkey is also looking for new markets for its military hardware, including drones, which are used in African countries from Mali to Ethiopia.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said earlier this year that Ankara was willing to provide Egypt with its military drones, which are already owned by governments including Ethiopia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. It is unclear if any drone sales contracts were concluded on Wednesday.
Relations soured between the two countries in 2013, after the military overthrow of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, who Mr Erdogan supported. The two countries downgraded diplomatic ties and relations deteriorated.
Egypt was angered by Turkey providing refuge to exiled Muslim Brotherhood members, and the two countries supported opposing sides in the Libyan conflict. Egypt has taken umbrage at Turkey’s significant backing of Ethiopia, especially in the construction of a major dam project on the Nile which threatens Egypts water supply.
But in recent months the two governments have taken steps to improve ties, spurred on by the need to find sources of stability and build political and economic alliances in a region facing multiple protracted crises.
“After a 12-year hiatus, no significant tensions are expected to emerge at this stage of normalisation and developing relations,” Tunc Demirtas, a foreign policy researcher at pro-Turkish government think tank Seta, told The National. “Given the many regional challenges, it is likely that Turkey and Egypt will act rationally on points where their interests align across various issues.”
Some analysts say that the two countries’ similar positions on the war in Gaza have accelerated the normalisation.
“Rapprochement between them was accelerated after the war in Gaza,” said Elem Eyrice Tepeciklioglu, an associate professor at the Department of African Studies at the Social Sciences University of Ankara. “They all want to end the war. They all want an independent Palestinian state. They all want to perhaps be the mediator or accelerate the peace process, because Turkey would like to play the role of a mediator in different contexts. And Egypt is directly involved.”
The normalisation with Egypt is part of wider attempts by Turkey to repair relationships with countries with which Ankara has not always seen eye to eye.
“We have realised that we have similar targets and similar stances pertaining to many regional matters, and we have come to terms with Egypt to boost our correspondences,” Mr Erdogan said in the press conference with Mr El Sisi. “Hopefully from now on, we will be in closer co-operation with Egypt … Hopefully we will boost our bilateral relations.”
The exact contours of future co-operation and agreements remain unclear.
“When you ask the Turks, they say, like the rapprochement process is going great. When you ask the Egyptians, they are less enthusiastic, but they say, it's going – it's better than it was before, but there's still some sticking points,” said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank. “So there is a gap between how both countries see the positive steps taken so far.”
In Libya, Egypt supports Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in the country’s east, and Turkey intervened on the side of the UN-recognised government in Tripoli in 2020. Egypt has consistently said it wants foreign troops – including Turkish troops posted in the North African country – to leave, although Turkey has made no commitment to that effect.
“We agreed to increase consultations to achieve security and political stability in Libya,” said Mr El Sisi. “We assure the end of the crisis in Libya by holding the legitimate parliamentary elections and ending the presence of armed militias and foreign forces in Libya – then divisions will come to an end and stability will be established.”
But ultimately, a resolution would allow both to invest in the country and minimise the national security concerns it presents, analysts said.
“The stability, both economic and political stability, in Libya, is in the interest of both countries,” said Ms Eyrice Tepeciklioglu.
Mr El Sisi also said he welcomed recent moves by Mr Erdogan to repair ties with the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria. The Turkish leader said in July that he would be willing to invite Mr Al Assad to Turkey, following a severing of diplomatic ties in 2012 over the Syrian civil war. Last month Mr Al Assad said that there had been no concrete progress in normalising relations with its neighbour.
Lexus LX700h specs
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Under 19 Cricket World Cup, Asia Qualifier
Fixtures
Friday, April 12, Malaysia v UAE
Saturday, April 13, UAE v Nepal
Monday, April 15, UAE v Kuwait
Tuesday, April 16, UAE v Singapore
Thursday, April 18, UAE v Oman
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Aaron Benjamin, Akasha Mohammed, Alishan Sharafu, Anand Kumar, Ansh Tandon, Ashwanth Valthapa, Karthik Meiyappan, Mohammed Faraazuddin, Rishab Mukherjee, Niel Lobo, Osama Hassan, Vritya Aravind, Wasi Shah
Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
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Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
