Saudi Arabia, Egypt signal possible reconciliation after months of tension
Following months of tension between the Arab world's most populous state and its richest individuals, Saudi Arabia's King Salman has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to visit his country as a public show of good relations.
- Middle East
- Published Date: 12:00 | 31 March 2017
- Modified Date: 01:38 | 31 March 2017
After experiencing a rocky relationship over regional issues, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Saudi Arabia's King Salman slipped out of an Arab summit session for face-to-face talks on Wednesday, signaling an attempt at possible reconciliation.
King Salman invited President el-Sissi to visit his country, as a sign of good relations.
Despite a long-term relationship between Cairo and Riyadh since the 2013 military coup by Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, political disagreements between both countries have increased. It is not certain yet what direction Egyptian-Saudi relations will take, but it is a fact that el-Sissi has been relying on new actors, such as Iran and Russia.
El-Sissi's reluctance to participate in the military operation in Yemen is one of the reasons for the deteriorating relations with the Gulf States. The Egyptian president welcomed the invitation and in turn invited Salman back, his office said in a statement on Wednesday.
The two leaders met at an Arab summit in Jordan and discussed improving relations, the statement said. The two countries have disagreed over Syria and the transfer of two Red Sea islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia.
"King Salman promised to visit Egypt in the very near future based on an invitation from President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi," the statement also said.
Even though officials from both sides have denied the existence of tensions or disagreements between the two countries, the two have been at odds on a number of political issues.
Saudi Arabia has halted fuel shipments indefinitely after Saudi state oil company Aramco informed Egypt of the suspension of oil shipments in October. The increasing disputes with Saudi Arabia over the fate of two tiny islands in the Red Sea have taken Egypt out of Riyadh's control.
The Security Council spat was the first public quarrel between Riyadh and Cairo since the Egyptian military's 2013 ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi and the subsequent flow of billions of dollars in Saudi aid that kept Egypt's ailing economy afloat.
Saudi's move came after Egypt's announcement that it will host Russian troops for war games along the Mediterranean coast, the latest step in the two countries' rapprochement. The drill, due to take place Oct. 15-26 in the coastal city of El-Alamein and dubbed the "Guardians of Friendship," includes "elite units" from both sides. Russia's defense ministry said it would be the first ever joint paratrooper exercise for the two and would involve armor being dropped from planes.
Egypt has increased cooperation with Russia under President el-Sissi, with a preliminary agreement to build a nuclear power plant among other moves.
The country is also negotiating with Russia to restore flights to its Red Sea resorts, a year after the bombing of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers back to St. Petersburg.
King Salman invited President el-Sissi to visit his country, as a sign of good relations.
Despite a long-term relationship between Cairo and Riyadh since the 2013 military coup by Egypt's Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, political disagreements between both countries have increased. It is not certain yet what direction Egyptian-Saudi relations will take, but it is a fact that el-Sissi has been relying on new actors, such as Iran and Russia.
El-Sissi's reluctance to participate in the military operation in Yemen is one of the reasons for the deteriorating relations with the Gulf States. The Egyptian president welcomed the invitation and in turn invited Salman back, his office said in a statement on Wednesday.
The two leaders met at an Arab summit in Jordan and discussed improving relations, the statement said. The two countries have disagreed over Syria and the transfer of two Red Sea islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia.
"King Salman promised to visit Egypt in the very near future based on an invitation from President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi," the statement also said.
Even though officials from both sides have denied the existence of tensions or disagreements between the two countries, the two have been at odds on a number of political issues.
Saudi Arabia has halted fuel shipments indefinitely after Saudi state oil company Aramco informed Egypt of the suspension of oil shipments in October. The increasing disputes with Saudi Arabia over the fate of two tiny islands in the Red Sea have taken Egypt out of Riyadh's control.
The Security Council spat was the first public quarrel between Riyadh and Cairo since the Egyptian military's 2013 ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi and the subsequent flow of billions of dollars in Saudi aid that kept Egypt's ailing economy afloat.
Saudi's move came after Egypt's announcement that it will host Russian troops for war games along the Mediterranean coast, the latest step in the two countries' rapprochement. The drill, due to take place Oct. 15-26 in the coastal city of El-Alamein and dubbed the "Guardians of Friendship," includes "elite units" from both sides. Russia's defense ministry said it would be the first ever joint paratrooper exercise for the two and would involve armor being dropped from planes.
Egypt has increased cooperation with Russia under President el-Sissi, with a preliminary agreement to build a nuclear power plant among other moves.
The country is also negotiating with Russia to restore flights to its Red Sea resorts, a year after the bombing of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers back to St. Petersburg.
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