Turkey to appoint ambassador to Egypt after years of diplomatic fallout, official says

Turkey is to appoint a new ambassador to Egypt, after leaving the position vacant for almost nine years, as the two countries approach closer reconciliation.

According to an anonymous senior Turkish official who spoke to the news organisation, Middle East Eye, the diplomat to be appointed as ambassador to Cairo will be Salih Mutlu Sen, Ankara’s former representative to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Efforts towards reconciliation taken by the two countries accelerated last year, after almost nine years of tensions, deterioration of diplomatic ties and regional rivalry. That period stemmed from Turkey’s refusal to recognise the rule of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi over Egypt, after the 2013 military coup which overthrew the elected President, Mohammed Morsi.

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There was also reportedly Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal choice not to meet with Sisi, as well as the fact that Ankara and Cairo backed and supported opposing sides in the conflict in Libya over the years.

Conciliatory steps that have already been taken include the Turkish government having ended the broadcast of political programmes by Egyptian opposition television channels based in Turkey, as well as lifting a veto against Egypt’s partnership activities with the NATO alliance last year.

The two countries also held two rounds of talks last year, supposedly setting the stage for the reported return of a Turkish ambassador to Cairo.