Ankara: In the most recent step in the reconciliation between the two regional powers, Egypt and Turkey on Tuesday dispatched ambassadors for the first time in years, taking a step closer to reestablishing full diplomatic ties.
Salih Mutlu Sen has been named as the Turkish ambassador to Cairo and Amr Elhamamy has been named as the Egyptian ambassador to Ankara, according to a joint statement from the two nations.
The move "aims to restore normal relations between the two countries and demonstrates their shared determination to work towards enhancing their bilateral relations for the best interests of both the Turkish and Egyptian peoples," according to the statement.
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Following the Egyptian military's 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi amid widespread protests against his divisive one-year of rule, tensions between Egypt and Turkey erupted, and both countries withdrew their ambassadors. The Muslim Brotherhood, which Turkey supported, was where Morsi was from. The group has been labelled a terrorist organisation by Egypt.
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On June 30, the Egyptian government commemorated the tenth anniversary of the anti-Brotherhood demonstrations. The two nations' reconciliation is a result of Turkey's efforts to forge relationships with neighbours and end its isolation on the world stage in the midst of a global economic crisis.
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