Observers praised President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia on 22 August, where he held talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
They welcomed the outcomes of Al-Sisi and Bin Salman’s talks, which underlined the importance of bolstering joint investments and coordination over regional issues, especially the situation in Gaza.
Ayman Mehasseb, deputy chairman of parliament’s Arab Relations Committee, said Al-Sisi’s visit, which came upon an invitation from Prince Mohamed Bin Salman, represented a new and important step in the strategic relationship between the two countries, especially in the light of the unprecedented challenges facing the region.
He explained that the timing of the visit, held in Saudi Arabia’s new city of Neom, was of paramount importance as the Gaza issue was at the top of the discussions, in addition to promoting joint investments between the two countries.
He emphasised that Cairo and Riyadh are the two main pillars of the regional order in the Middle East and their roles are pivotal on regional issues.
Mehasseb said that there was complete agreement between the Egyptian and Saudi leaders regarding the Palestinian cause and the situation in the Gaza Strip, noting that both countries are calling for an end to the war, a ceasefire, and the provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians within a firm and strategic framework.
President Al-Sisi underscored Cairo’s support for Saudi initiatives aimed at resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the latest of which led to the outcomes of the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held in New York City in July.
According to Presidential Spokesman Mohamed Al-Shennawi, Al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia reflected the “historically solid relations that bind Cairo and Riyadh”. It also showed that the leaders of these two influential Arab countries are keen to coordinate and hold consultations over regional and international issues of common concern, he added.
Al-Shennawi said that the meeting between Al-Sisi and Bin Salman had covered in-depth discussions on a variety of bilateral cooperation issues while stressing the importance of enhancing joint investments and expediting the launch of the Egyptian-Saudi Supreme Coordination Council as a comprehensive framework for developing relations at all levels.
It was agreed during the meeting to launch more partnerships in the fields of industrial integration, the localisation of technological industries, transportation, new and renewable energy, and urban development, Al-Shennawi said, noting that the meeting also addressed developments in regional and international issues of common interest and reviewed Egyptian efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
The two leaders stressed the need to expedite the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, release the remaining hostages and prisoners, and reject any attempts to displace the Palestinians from their land or reimpose Israeli military occupation on the Gaza Strip.
They also emphasised the need to halt Israeli hostilities against the Palestinians in the West Bank.
Al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia came after a period when some social media platforms, particularly the X platform, were used by groups, widely believed to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, to launch campaigns aimed at creating tensions between the two countries.
Alaa Abed, chairman of parliament’s Transport Committee, said Al-Sisi’s visit had come at the right time and reflected a rejection of all attempts to cast doubt on relations between the two countries and reinforced the call for enhanced cooperation between two pillars of stability in a region experiencing considerable unrest.
“The visit sent the message that the two countries share a common history, a common destiny, and a common strategic location and that they will not allow any hostile forces to drive a wedge between them,” Abed said.
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli said there had been attempts on social media to present tensions in Egypt’s relations with Saudi Arabia. “This is not correct because Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the two wings of the Arab and Islamic nation. It is in the interest of some parties to create tensions in the relationship, but we will not allow that to happen, neither now nor in the future,” Madbouli said.
Al-Sisi’s visit to Neom sparked a wave of positive reactions on social media platforms. Users widely shared images and video clips of the visit, particularly Bin Salman’s warm welcome for Al-Sisi at the Neom Airport and Palace.
Other images that drew the attention of social media users included Bin Salman’s personally driving Al-Sisi and his cordial farewell to him at the foot of the aircraft steps.
Dozens of accounts agreed that the meeting symbolised the unity of “two brothers” who represent the heart and limbs of the Arab world and serve as pillars of stability in the region. Others said the visit had come as a shock to Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated accounts that had tried over recent weeks to use social media to create tensions between the two countries.
Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the thinktank the Gulf Research Centre, told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Sisi’s visit had come at “an exceptionally sensitive time”, pointing to Israeli attempts to alter the status quo in Gaza and end the Palestinian cause by occupying territory and displacing its residents.
According to Sager, the current period demands close coordination between Cairo and Riyadh more than ever before. “In the light of unprecedented regional and global shifts, and persistent attempts to impose changes on the Arab world, Saudi Arabia and Egypt must align their policies and positions more closely,” he said.
On the sidelines of Al-Sisi’s visit, Industry and Transport Minister Kamel Al-Wazir held talks in Riyadh with Mohamed Mazid Al-Tiwigry, the Saudi secretary-general of the Egyptian-Saudi Supreme Coordination Council, to advance preparations for the council’s first leaders’ summit, according to a statement.
The meetings highlighted the entry into force of the Egypt-Saudi Investment Protection Agreement, which will unlock new Saudi investments in Egypt and support investments by Egyptian companies in the kingdom.
Abdel-Hamid Abu Moussa, chairman of the Egyptian-Saudi Business Council, said the agreement includes rules that protect investments in the two countries and aims to resolve any issues that might face investors in both. There are other sectors in Egypt besides real estate that could be profitable for Saudi investors, he said.
According to Abu Moussa, there are more than 7,800 Saudi companies operating in Egypt, with investments exceeding $35 billion.
Figures published by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics on 21 August show that the value of trade between Egypt and Saudi Arabia reached a record $5.9 billion (an increase of 20.4 per cent) during the first half of 2025, compared to $4.9 billion during the same period in 2024.
Egyptian exports to Saudi Arabia reached $1.5 billion during the first half of 2025, compared to $1.7 billion during the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, Egyptian imports from Saudi Arabia reached $4.4 billion during the first half of 2025, compared to $3.2 billion during the same period the year before.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 28 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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