Turkey wants to form deeper ties in the field of energy production, its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday as Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi visited Ankara for the first time since assuming power more than a decade ago.
The visit is part of attempts to rebuild ties damaged by years of political disputes, and follows an official invitation by Mr Erdogan when he visited the Egyptian capital in February. At the time, Mr El Sisi said the visit "turned a new page".
Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Sisi, Erdogan said the two countries had reaffirmed their will to improve relations in every area, including trade, defence, health, energy, and environmental matters. Ministers from both countries signed a series of agreements ahead of the leaders' statements.
"We will enhance our multifaceted relations in a win-win manner," Mr Erdogan said, Anadolu reported.
"My visit today and that of his excellency Mr Erdogan to Cairo before reflect our common resolve to open a new page of friendship and cooperation between Egypt and Turkey," Mr El Sisi wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
The two sides will sign as many as 20 agreements related to defence, energy, tourism, health, education and culture, aiming to increase the volume of trade between the two countries to $15 billion from $10 billion, Turkish state media reported. The agenda includes the first meeting of a presidential-level strategic co-operation council between the two countries, a body that was restructured following Mr Erdogan's Cairo trip, the Turkish government's communications directorate said.
"At the council meeting, all aspects of Turkey-Egypt relations will be reviewed, and joint steps that can be taken in the upcoming period to further develop bilateral co-operation will be discussed," the statement said. "On the occasion of the meeting, the signing of various documents aimed at strengthening the contractual basis of relations is also on the agenda."
Major political differences over the past decade have rocked the relationship, although economic ties have remained strong. Trade volume topped $4.9 billion in the first seven months of 2024, according to Turkish Statistical Institute data.
Ties soured following Mr Erdogan’s vigorous opposition to the military-led overthrow in 2013 of an Islamist president backed by Ankara, Mohammed Morsi of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Mr El Sisi, in office since 2014, was the defence minister at the time.
Turkish support for Islamist movements more widely, and general Turkish wariness of rulers brought to power by military takeovers, deepened the distrust between the two nations, and the two countries withdrew their respective ambassadors soon after.
Egypt’s concerns over the presence of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood exiles in Turkey were slightly alleviated after Ankara took measures to tone down their criticism of the government in Cairo.
Ankara’s wider Africa policy has also been a divisive issue. Turkey’s 2020 military intervention on the side of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya angered the Egyptian government, which supports Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose power base is in the east of the country. Cairo believes that the presence of foreign troops in the divided North African country undermines its national security, analysts said.
“Libya continues to be a sticking point, but less so now because there haven’t been massive shifts in the power dynamics, and the current situation is not an imminent threat for anybody,” Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank, told The National.
“Of course if you ask the Egyptians they are going to say that they want all foreign troops out [of Libya] … they are speaking about the Turks when they say they want foreign troops out, and that their presence in Libya is undermining the political process (in Libya) and their border concerns.”
Cairo has also taken umbrage at Ankara’s significant support for Ethiopia, especially in the construction of a major dam on the Nile, which Egypt says threatens its fresh water supply.
The meeting on Wednesday will also include discussion of regional issues, including the war in Gaza, the Turkish government communications directorate said. Egypt has been a key player in continuing efforts to broker a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, and Turkey has been widely critical of the military operations in Gaza that followed Hamas's October 7 attacks.
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
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UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
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Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.