ALBAWABA- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signed a landmark framework military cooperation agreement during Erdogan’s official visit to Cairo on Wednesday, signaling a major thaw in bilateral relations after years of tension.
The pact, formalized by Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Megeed Saqr, covers joint military training, education programs, defense industry collaboration, personnel exchanges, and enhanced security coordination.
The leaders also signed agreements spanning trade, investment, health, agriculture, and youth affairs, with both pledging to raise bilateral trade to $15 billion annually.
The move reflects a strategic realignment based on shared interests in regional stability, including situations in Gaza, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia, and builds on the normalization of ties between Ankara and Cairo since 2024.
Turkey and Egypt’s Ministries of Defense signed a joint military agreement today, though the terms and details have not been made public.
— Egypt's Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) February 4, 2026
President Erdoğan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also co-chaired the second meeting of the Turkish-Egyptian High-Level Strategic… pic.twitter.com/wa8w5N2NHx
Israel reacted cautiously. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in a closed Knesset session on Thursday, expressed concern over Egypt’s growing military strength, particularly reported deployments in Sinai, which Israel views as potential violations of the 1979 peace treaty.
Netanyahu called for U.S. engagement to monitor developments, reflecting Jerusalem’s unease over shifting regional alliances.
The agreement comes amid escalating Eastern Mediterranean tensions driven by energy disputes and territorial claims. In December 2025, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus formalized a trilateral military cooperation plan for 2026, emphasizing joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and defense procurement to counter what Netanyahu described as Turkish influence.
