Ankara: Trkiye and Egypt reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic and trade cooperation during a roundtable meeting held on Wednesday in Ankara. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Trkiye (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarciklioglu, with Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his delegation in attendance.
According to Anadolu Agency, Abdelatty offered condolences for those who died in the crash of a C-130 military cargo plane near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. He praised Hisarciklioglu for maintaining relations during politically challenging times, expressing gratitude and respect. The Egyptian minister emphasized that trade and economic cooperation bring the two nations closer and highlighted Egypt's commitment to facilitating investment opportunities.
Abdelatty revealed the countries' aim to increase their bilateral trade volume to $15 billion, noting that it reached $8.8 billion in 2024. He recalled discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's visit to Ankara last year, describing the trade goal as achievable due to the countries' potential. Abdelatty emphasized Egypt's role as a gateway to Africa and the benefits of its free trade agreements. He also pointed out opportunities in sectors like construction, infrastructure, digitalization, and food security.
Hisarciklioglu described Trkiye and Egypt as nations with strong cultural ties and major cooperation prospects in various sectors. He highlighted the significant presence of Turkish companies in Egypt, with investments of about $3 billion and employment opportunities for around 100,000 Egyptian citizens. Hisarciklioglu noted the importance of Egypt as Trkiye's largest trading partner in Africa and supported the $15 billion trade target.
He proposed reviving maritime transport links to facilitate bilateral trade, recalling the previous success of the Mersin-Alexandria and Iskenderun-Damietta Ro-Ro routes. Hisarciklioglu expressed a desire to participate in Egypt's expanding infrastructure projects and collaborate with Egyptian companies in Africa and the Middle East.