Türkiye-Egypt solidarity key for Gaza humanitarian aid efforts, President Erdogan says

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye's president on Thursday emphasized the benefits of his country's solidarity with Egypt in ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the 11th D-8 Summit in Cairo, Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined the urgency of securing a sustainable cease-fire and ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the region, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said.

"During the meeting, President Erdogan stated that a lasting and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza should be achieved as soon as possible and that the solidarity between Türkiye and Egypt would be beneficial for the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the region," the directorate said on X.

Erdogan emphasized that deepening Türkiye-Egypt solidarity would significantly aid in these efforts.

On the latest developments in Syria, Erdogan said that the people would decide their own future.

Highlighting the importance of the country's political unity and territorial integrity, He reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for reconstruction and reconciliation efforts in Syria.

On bilateral ties with Egypt, he highlighted Ankara's commitment to expanding cooperation in areas including defense, energy, transportation, and development. He also reiterated Türkiye's goal of reaching a $15 billion trade volume with Egypt.

The D-8 summit, titled “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy," kicked off in Cairo on Thursday.

The D-8 group was established in Istanbul in 1997 to strengthen economic and social relations among its member states — Türkiye, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and Malaysia. Azerbaijan also joined the group on Thursday.