First meeting of High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Republic of Türkiye and Arab Republic of Egypt issues Joint Declaration
On the Basis of Strong Friendship and Shared Values Connecting the Two Countries and Guided by the Principles of Mutual Respect, Mutual Understanding, Cooperation, and Respect for the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter;
Recalling the Joint Declaration on the Restructuring of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the Republic of Türkiye and the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed in Cairo on February 14, 2024;
Recognising that the year 2025 marks the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Egypt, while expressing their commitment to elevate their partnership and cooperation in all areas to a strategic level and explore new avenues of cooperation based on the principles of mutual interest and solidarity between the two countries;
Aiming to promote peace, prosperity, and stability within their regions and beyond, while reaffirming their commitment to the principles and norms of international law and the United Nations Charter;
Demonstrating determination to enhance coordination and cooperation at the international level in order to address global challenges, including sustainable development, climate change, environmental protection, and food security, and to contribute to international efforts in these areas;
Expressing their awareness of the tremendous contribution that economic cooperation can make to their people's prosperity and socio-economic development through a privileged, productive, and mutually beneficial economic partnership;
Following the First Meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between the Republic of Türkiye and the Arab Republic of Egypt, held in Ankara on September 4, 2024, under the co-chairmanship of the Presidents of the two states, the two Parties:
1. Welcome the signing of Memoranda of Understanding in the fields of finance, environment, urban planning, health, energy, business, agriculture, civil aviation, information and communication technologies, higher education, labour and employment, cooperation and capacity building, railways, competition policy, and diplomacy academies, and decide to increase joint efforts with the aim of diversifying and deepening the multidimensional cooperation and coordination between the Parties by updating the existing bilateral legal framework in all areas to meet the needs;
2. Request the Joint Planning Group, co-chaired by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, to commence work on further advancing bilateral relations between the two countries in all areas, with the aim of submitting their efforts for approval at the next meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council;
3. Express their willingness to further promote economic and trade relations, as well as leverage existing potential, in order to increase their trade volume to 15 billion USD;
4. Agree to continue improving the investment environment in their respective countries for businesspeople and to take necessary measures to address issues faced by investors and companies on both sides and to encourage new investments in this context;
5. Reiterate their commitment to supporting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and express their willingness to strengthen cooperation in the fields of industry and infrastructure;
6. Encourage bilateral cooperation in the areas of micro-enterprises and entrepreneurship by supporting young entrepreneurs in implementing joint projects;
7. Express their commitment to promoting and enhancing joint economic projects and mutual investment opportunities in all areas, with the aim of integrating production and consumption, as well as exporting to third countries in Africa, Europe, and other regions of the world;
8. Promote regular participation in trade fairs, exhibitions, and economic events such as forums, seminars, conferences, and workshops in Türkiye and Egypt, as well as encourage the exchange of trade and business delegations between the two Parties;
9. Reaffirm their commitment to maintaining the political and diplomatic dialogue between the two countries and to expanding contacts in diverse fields, including military, security, and consular affairs;
10. Emphasise the importance of fostering cooperation in the energy transition based on the principle of mutual benefit, with a focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as maintaining close cooperation and deepening dialogue on bilateral relations, joint projects, and investments in the field of energy;
11. Acknowledge the significance of cooperation on environmental issues both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international organisations to which both countries are members so as to address climate change, reversing biodiversity loss, preventing desertification, land degradation, and similar challenges;
12. Promote the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the field of civil aviation and encourage relevant authorities to facilitate airline operations and procedures, increase the number of flights, simplify the tasks of airline companies, and contribute to the diversification of the air transport network by launching flights on new destinations;
13. Concur to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of urban planning and housing;
14. Stress the significance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of labour, employment and social security;
15. Commit to strengthening cooperation in the field of social policies, which encompasses the protection of women, the family, children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, in addition to social assistance;
16. Express their willingness to strengthen cooperation in the training of diplomats at the bilateral and multilateral levels by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Diplomatic Academies to supersede the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding;
17. Highlight the cultural and historical ties between the two countries and agree to promote cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture, education, as well as sports and youth;
18. Express their intention to improve cooperation in the fields of media, communications, and combating disinformation;
19. Agree to explore potential areas for cooperation in the field of technical and vocational training;
20. Assent to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of health and medical sciences;
21. Express their commitment to improve cooperation in a number of fields, including maritime, air, and road transportation;
22. Reiterate the significance of enhancing cooperation between the relevant authorities of the Parties in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and transnational organised crime, including the illicit smuggling of migrants and human and drug trafficking;
23. Affirm their commitment to expanding cooperation, supporting multilateral initiatives, and coordinating their positions on common interest within international and regional organisations, as well as maintaining coordination and contacts between the two countries in these organisations and, where possible, providing mutual support for candidacies in international organisations;
24. Establish their desire to build capacity for the African continent and to intensify contacts on regional affairs;
25. Agree to maintain close cooperation within international and regional organisations, such as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and to improve ongoing dialogue and cooperation between Türkiye and the League of Arab States (LAS);
26. Renew their intention to strengthen cooperation within the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation;
27. In the face of Israel's persistent and blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, including its deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza over the past 11 months, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and the uninterrupted and unhindered provision of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza and the entire Gaza Strip in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, and express their readiness to further strengthen the level of coordination and cooperation between Türkiye and Egypt in support of efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, while calling for strong solidarity for the reconstruction of Gaza as well as the urgent establishment of peace in the region in order to prevent further escalation of tensions;
28. Express deep concern about Israel's unlawful actions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in this context denounce Israeli settlement activities, rhetoric that escalates and provokes settler violence, and Israeli military attacks on Palestinian cities, and call on the international community to empower the Palestinian National Authority to fulfil its duties and responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to lend support to efforts aimed at countering and lifting Israeli restrictions and illegal policies and practices;
29. Reaffirm their unwavering support for the call to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and for the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent and sovereign state with territorial integrity based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as for the protection of the right of return of all Palestinian refugees, call on those nations which have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to take swift actions towards this end, and in this regard, reiterate the significance of the initiatives of the Gaza Contact Group mandated by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League;
30. At the current stage of the Palestinian cause, support and emphasise the significance of efforts to achieve inter-Palestinian unity;
31. Reaffirm their joint commitment to finding a lasting and comprehensive solution to the conflict in Syria, stress the importance of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, underline the importance of the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, underscore the significance of humanitarian assistance and early recovery projects for the Syrian people, and call on the international community to maintain these efforts at a satisfactory level;
32. Emphasise the importance of upholding Iraq's sovereignty and stability and underline their support for Iraq's development and reconstruction efforts;
33. Reaffirm their will to support a political process that is owned and led by Libyans and facilitated by the United Nations, with the aim of maintaining the security, stability, territorial integrity and political unity of Libya;
34. Agree on the importance of establishing peace, security and stability and ensuring good neighbourly and friendly relations prevail in the Horn of Africa and mutual respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of every nation;
35. Express regret and concern about the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which has devastating humanitarian implications for the country and the overall region, welcome initiatives aimed at a peaceful resolution of the crisis, and support joint diplomatic efforts in this direction;
36. Reaffirm their resolve to maintain their joint efforts to further strengthen their relations, rooted in deep bonds of friendship, for the benefit of the two friendly and brotherly peoples and the entire region.
Signed on September 4, 2024 at Ankara.