𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐰 “𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜” 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

According to Reuters, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the announcement on February 4 that Turkey would supply drones to Egypt. Drones manufactured by Baykar, such the Bayraktar TB2, which have seen action in Azerbaijan, Libya, and Ukraine, would most certainly be part of this deal, though specifics are sketchy at this time.

This Is Crucial: Since normalizing diplomatic relations in 2023, the sale of drones will indicate an improvement in bilateral relations between Turkey and Egypt. Egypt would have greater leeway to carry out clandestine operations in countries like Sudan or Ethiopia if it acquired drones from Turkey, which would expand its military arsenal even further. A purchase of weaponry from Turkey will alleviate U.S. pressure on Cairo to refrain from purchasing Russian-made weapons, given both Turkey and the United States are members of NATO. In addition, Turkey is not going to hold Egypt to its human rights standards or demand that they change before selling arms to them.

Establishing the Scene: This declaration by Fidan is made ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey’s and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt’s meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on February 14. In July 2023, when both nations reinstated their ambassadors, Turkey and Egypt resumed full diplomatic relations. Disputes have persisted ever since the 2013 coup that ousted Mohamed Morsi from office, and the subsequent rise of President al-Sisi.

@pr