Egypt and Turkey are cautiously rebuilding relations after years of estrangement, driven by shifting regional dynamics and converging state interests. Recent defense-industrial cooperation and renewed diplomatic engagement point to a pragmatic recalibration rather than full political reconciliation, as both countries test whether managed coordination can replace prolonged rivalry.

Egypt is advancing defense-industrial cooperation with China through localized production, joint exercises, and expanded military training links. Developments during 2025 point to a pragmatic effort by Cairo to diversify suppliers and strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity, while Beijing cautiously broadens engagement beyond conventional arms sales.

Egypt appears to have shifted from diplomatic broker to covert combatant in Sudan’s war, with new evidence pointing to drone and air strikes launched from a secret base in the Western Desert. Satellite imagery, flight logs and investigations indicate that Egypt has established a covert airbase at the East Oweinat agricultural project, roughly 65 kilometers from the Sudanese border, to launch strikes against Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targets deep inside Sudan. The operations mark Egypt’s evolution from cautious mediator to active, if deniable, belligerent on the side of Sudan’s Armed Forces, as the conflict becomes the focal point of widening regional proxy rivalries involving the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar.

Across Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and the Maghreb, the United Arab Emirates is encountering rising diplomatic friction as regional powers push back against policies seen as destabilizing or misaligned with their security interests. The UAE is facing growing tensions involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria, while sustained scrutiny over Sudan and Yemen is reshaping perceptions of Emirati influence.