Speaking at his mid-year press conference on 1 July, Ambassador Mutlu Şen described economic cooperation as the cornerstone of Egypt-Turkey relations, noting that bilateral trade reached approximately $8 billion in 2025.
Turkish Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen highlights expanding Egypt-Turkey ties at a press conference.
“Trade during the first four months of 2026 increased by 15 percent year-on-year to around $3 billion, putting the two countries on track to reach a record $9 billion in bilateral trade by the end of the year,” the ambassador said.
Egypt will remain Turkey's largest trading partner in Africa, he said, while Turkey will continue to rank among Egypt's top five trading partners globally and one of its three largest export markets.
The ambassador added that both countries are working to strengthen transport infrastructure to support growing trade, expressing optimism about expected developments in the coming weeks regarding roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) shipping services between Egypt and Turkey.
He added that Turkish carrier AJet had increased its weekly Ankara-Cairo flights from three to five and recently launched a new Alexandria-Istanbul route. He also said Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir is expected to participate in a maritime transport summit in Turkey in the coming days.
Mutlu Şen said several Turkish investment projects are scheduled to be inaugurated this year in West Qantara, 10th of Ramadan City, Ain Sokhna, El-Sadat City, Borg El-Arab, Port Said, and Ismailia governorates. He added that Turkish investments in Egypt are expected to match or exceed last year's $500 million.
He also noted that Polaris Parks has entered the construction phase of its industrial zone in Egypt's New Capital after completing legal procedures. The project is expected to accommodate around 500 factories.
Turning to regional developments, Mutlu Şen said Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar continue to coordinate closely to advance the Gaza peace process.
He accused Israel of failing to fulfil its commitments under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, delaying progress to the second phase, and stressed that Cairo and Ankara remain committed to protecting the Palestinian people.
"Turkey and Egypt share common positions supporting the unity, sovereignty, and stability of Libya and Sudan," he said.
On defence cooperation, Mutlu Şen stated that joint military exercises, training programmes, and high-level exchanges are continuing under the military cooperation framework agreement signed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Cairo in February. He described the Egyptian Armed Forces as "strong and courageous" and said they remain an important guarantor of stability in the Middle East.
Commenting on Egypt's performance at the FIFA World Cup, the ambassador congratulated the Egyptian national football team on reaching the Round of 32 and expressed hope that it would advance to the Round of 16.
"The Egyptian team has the capabilities to achieve that," he said, adding that Egypt's success is celebrated in Turkey because "our two peoples are close, share a history spanning a thousand years, and Egypt's joy is our joy, while its sorrow is our sorrow," he expressed.
Egyptian singer Alaa Ayoub performed Arabic and Turkish songs, joined by Turkish Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen
Later the same day, the Turkish embassy in Cairo, in cooperation with the Palestinian embassy, hosted a solidarity event for 270 Egyptian and Palestinian families at the ambassador's residence.
Turkish Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen hosted a solidarity event that gathered 270 Egyptian and Palestinian families
The gathering brought together 220 Palestinian and 50 Egyptian families, who received food aid and financial assistance provided by Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs and the Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation.
Around 120 Egyptian journalists, social media content creators, and Egyptian and Palestinian artists also attended the event. Egyptian singer Alaa Ayoub performed Arabic and Turkish songs, including works by Umm Kulthum and the Turkish song Sağım Yalan Solum Yalan.
Addressing participants, Mutlu Şen said Turkey has mobilized its resources since the outbreak of the Gaza war to provide humanitarian assistance and ensure that the Palestinian cause remains at the forefront of the international agenda.
He said Turkey, alongside Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, played a key role in reaching the Gaza peace framework agreed in Sharm El-Sheikh in October 2025 and continues to work with regional partners to secure its implementation.
The ambassador said Turkey, together with Egypt and other Arab countries, remains committed to supporting Palestinians and helping alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
He also praised Egypt for hosting more than 100,000 displaced Gazans, describing the country's humanitarian role as indispensable, and said continued assistance for Palestinians temporarily residing in Egypt remains essential.
Reaffirming Turkey's support for a two-state solution, Ambassador Mutlu Şen said Palestinians have the right to live independently and with dignity on their own land.
Concluding the event after greeting each family personally, the ambassador said, "Long live Palestine, long live Turkey, long live Egypt."
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