Egypt courts Turkiye and Greece amid regional tensions

Two divergent Egyptian diplomatic efforts have caught the attention of analysts. First, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on May 7 to reaffirm the commitment of both to a proposed 3,000-megawatt North Africa-Europe undersea electricity cable. On the same day, Egyptian Public Business Sector Minister Mohammed Shimi met the Turkish Sahinler Group Board Chairman Kemal Sahin to explore investment opportunities. While these developments differ in nature, they highlight Egypt’s attempts to build commercial and strategic ties with both Greece and Türkiye.

Türkiye and Egypt have ostensibly grown closer in recent years, as a decade-long diplomatic rift over support for the Muslim Brotherhood gave way to presidential exchanges in 2024. The relationship has become strategically important for both sides amid the geopolitical and economic volatility in the region. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $8.8 billion, and the two countries signed at least 17 memorandums of understanding on partnership in various sectors, including trade, defense, and energy, with the aim of boosting trade to $15 billion annually.

On the other hand, Egypt shares cordial relations with Greece, and in 2024, the two countries exchanged nearly $2 billion in trade.  Egypt is cooperating with Greece to enhance energy exports to Europe at a time when the continent’s energy supply is insecure.