Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Turkey for the first time in years on Wednesday for talks with President Tayyip Erdogan aimed at fully normalising ties that were ruptured after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In April, Erdogan went to Saudi Arabia after a months-long drive to mend relations between the regional powers, including dropping the trial over Khashoggi's 2018 murder in Istanbul.
He held one-on-one talks with Prince Mohammed while there, raising the possibility of Saudi investments that could help relieve Turkey's beleaguered economy.
Erdogan said last week he and Prince Mohammed, Riyadh's de facto leader, would discuss "to what much higher level" they can take ties during talks in Ankara.
The visit is expected to bring "a full normalisation and a restoration of the pre-crisis period," a senior Turkish official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "A new era will begin."
The official said negotiations on a possible currency swap line - which could help restore Turkey's diminished foreign reserves - were not moving "as fast as desired" and will be discussed privately between Erdogan and Prince Mohammed.
Agreements on energy, economy and security would be signed during Prince Mohammed's visit, while a plan was also in the works for Saudi funds to enter capital markets in Turkey, the person added.
Prince Mohammed is on his first tour outside the Gulf region in over three years including a visit to Jordan.
Ties between Ankara and Riyadh cratered after a Saudi hit squad killed and dismembered Khashoggi in 2018 at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul. Erdogan at the time blamed it on the "highest levels" of the Saudi government.
Ankara has since stopped all criticism and halted its murder trial in April, transferring the case to Riyadh in a move condemned by human rights groups and criticised by opposition parties for trading honour for monetary support.
The visit comes as Turkey's economy is badly strained by a slumping lira and inflation soaring beyond 70%. Saudi funds and foreign currency could help Erdogan shore up support ahead of tight elections by June 2023, analysts say.
The Turkish official said Saudi Arabia may be interested in companies within the Turkish Wealth Fund or elsewhere, or in making investments similar to those by the United Arab Emirates in recent months.
The leaders will also discuss the possible sale of Turkish armed drones to Riyadh, the person added.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said on Tuesday that Erdogan "will embrace the man who ordered the killing" of Khashoggi.
For decades, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have enjoyed a distinguished relationship. Considered twin pillars, the two nations have consolidated their alliance and cooperation to strengthen their individual and joint regional postures, continuing a tradition of deep-rooted historical ties solidified even further with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s arrival in Cairo on Monday.
Strong Egyptian-Saudi ties have symbolic and practical significance for the Arab world. The two nations have historically regarded one another as important allies to the region, a policy that goes back to May 7, 1936, when Egypt officially recognizing the Saudi state.
The two nations have grown stronger and established close diplomatic ties over the years, overcoming obstacles and differences even during turbulent periods.
From 1945-46, official state visits by King Abdul Aziz and King Farouk addressed regional concerns, security and stability, topics on the forefront of both state leaders’ agendas, most notably the Palestinian crisis, Syria and Lebanon, the emergence of an Israeli state and strengthening relations between Arab nations with joint interests and benefits.
On March 22, 1945, the Arab League was formed. The voluntary association of Arab states was co-founded by Saudi Arabia and Egypt alongside Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria with its main aims to strengthen relations, coordinate collaboration, safeguard members’ independence and sovereignty, and to provide collective consideration of their affairs and interests.
Sixteen Arab nations have since joined, and the 22 Arab states follow one unified ethos, “one language, one civilization: 22 Arab countries.”
The Middle East saw serious political turmoils in the 1950s and 60s. The region witnessed the fall of several monarchies, two major wars with Israel, growing concerns of continued tensions and growing ideological divides that threatened the unity of Arab nations. Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s cordial relations were defined by the times.
King Faisal made his first official visit on Sept. 8, 1965 and the monarch visited Egypt seven times during his rule. As Saudi Arabia was uniquely situated to assume a leadership position in the Muslim world, so too was Egypt in building its military power.
In 1973, Egypt’s Anwar Sadat supported King Faisal’s oil embargo in protest against the West’s support for Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War. King Faisal in return supported the coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria during and after the war.
In 1974, King Faisal’s visit further cemented the neighboring states’ relations, touring several cities with thousands of Egyptians flocking to the streets to greet him. Similarly, King Fahad and President Hosni Mubarak saw a prosperous budding relationship that lasted for over two decades. The Saudi king visited Egypt numerous times and it was in 1990 that the unwavering support of Egypt proved essential during an emergency Arab League Summit, led by Mubarak to determine the unified commitment of all members of the league to free Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Jordan on Tuesday on the second leg of a regional tour.
Prince Mohammed was greeted on arrival in Amman by King Abdullah II and his Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah.
The Kingdom’s crown prince and King Abdullah II later held a session of bilateral talks at Al-Husseiniya Palace, Al-Ekhbariya reported.El-Sisi and the crown prince discussed ways to enhance Saudi-Egyptian relations in various fields, as well as regional and international political issues of common interest.
The spokesman for the Egyptian presidency said the talks between the two leaders come “within the framework of the deep and historical strategic partnership between Cairo and Riyadh, which aims to achieve security, stability, development and peace with a unified vision for the benefit of the two countries, the two brotherly peoples, and the Arab and Islamic nations.”
Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Tuesday signed 14 agreements worth a total of $7.7 billion. They cover vital economic sectors such as energy, information technology, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, cybersecurity, food, ports and logistics.
Among the most prominent deals, Ajlan Bros. Holding Group and the Arab Group for Supply Chains signed an agreement to build the Egypt Petroleum Storage Center; AquaPower signed an agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Holding Co. to generate 1,100 megawatts of clean energy; and Ajlan Bros. and Sami Saad Group signed an agreement to invest in renewable energy and water desalination.
The crown prince will visit Turkey after his visit to Jordan.
