The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, arrived in the city of NEOM on Thursday for talks with the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman.
The visit comes upon an invitation from the Saudi Crown Prince, with the aim of addressing the latest developments in the region and strengthening relations between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Critical Talks
Al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia comes at a crucial time for the entire region. According to a statement from the Egyptian Presidency, the discussions between the Saudi Crown Prince and Egypt’s President will primarily focus on the ongoing war in Gaza.
On Wednesday night, Israel launched a new operation against Gaza City, as part of a plan to expand the offensive and occupy Gaza’s largest urban hub.
Moreover, Israel endorsed the E1 settlement project, which involves the construction of about 3,400 new housing units in Maale Adumin, with the aim of splitting the occupied West Bank in two and impeding efforts to establish an independent Palestinian State.
The two leaders will also discuss other regional issues, including the situations in Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen, in addition to security in the Red Sea.
Saudi-Egyptian Political Coordination
Al-Sisi’s visit to Saudi Arabia aims to bolster bilateral coordination and consultation on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt are part of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on developments in the Gaza Strip, which has been pushing for ending the Israeli aggression on the enclave since the outbreak of the war.
Saudi Arabia is mobilizing international support for the recognition of the State of Palestine, in a push to advance a two-state solution to resolve the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
To this end, the Kingdom launched the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, in partnership with Norway and the European Union (EU) in September 2024.
It also co-chaired the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, alongside France, on July 28-29, 2025, which led many countries to announce their intention to recognize the Palestinian State in September.
Meanwhile, Egypt is one of the mediators pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza, in an attempt to end the 22-month war. Cairo has also proposed a reconstruction plan for Gaza, endorsed by the Arab Emergency Summit on March 4, 2025.
Deeply-Rooted Ties
The visit underscores the solid historical relations between Cairo and Riyadh, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering closer relations between the two countries.
Discussions between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Al-Sisi will focus on ways to further strengthen and reinforce the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to achieve their shared interests across political, economic and developmental fields.
The Saudi Crown Prince’s last visit to Egypt was in October 2024, during which he held critical discussions with Al-Sisi and witnessed the signing of an array of economic and investment deals.
Similarly, Al-Sisi last visited Saudi Arabia in February 2025, where he took part in an informal meeting with Arab leaders in Riyadh on the Gaza war.
Trade Exchange
Economic and industrial ties between Saudi Arabia and Egypt are gaining a huge momentum as both countries are boosting cooperation across various fields, most notably energy, mining, pharmaceuticals and food manufacturing.
The latest data from Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) showed that trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Egypt amounted to $5.9 billion in the first half of 2025 (H1 2025), accounting for a 21% increase year-on-year.
During the same period, Egypt exported goods to Saudi Arabia worth of $1.5 billion, while Saudi Arabia’s exports to Egypt jumped to $4.4 billion.
According to CAPMAS data, Egypt’s top exports to Saudi Arabia included copper, vegetables and fruits, ready-made clothing, machinery and electrical appliances, and iron and steel. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s key exports to Egypt included mineral fuels and oils, plastics, organic chemical, aluminum, and paper products.
Investment Cooperation
The two countries also enjoy robust investment relations. In the first half of the fiscal year 2024/2025 (H1 FY2024/2025), Saudi investments in Egypt reached $532 million, while Egyptian investments in Saudi Arabia rose to $116.2 million.
In June 2025, Al-Sisi approved the formation of the Saudi-Egyptian Supreme Coordination Council, which aims to strengthen strategic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Egypt across vital areas such as politics, security, economy, trade, investment, education, healthcare, environment, culture, industry, agriculture, technology, digital transformation, communications, infrastructure, transportation and energy.
Furthermore, the Egyptian Parliament in March 2025 approved the Investment Protection Agreement with Saudi Arabia, designed to promote and protect mutual investments between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, bolster bilateral economic ties, and ensure alignment with both countries’ economic priorities.
The Agreement also aims to create favorable conditions and more opportunities to encourage investments, promote investment opportunities in both countries, facilitate technology transfer, create more jobs, and develop human resources through mutual investments.
