Turkey, Egypt: A Historical Rivalry for Regional Influence

Despite recent overtures of cooperation between Turkey and Egypt, fundamental geopolitical realities limit the two countries' capacity for partnership. Though Turkey is a much larger power, it is unlikely to persuade Egypt to accept Turkish regional hegemony. This resistance has implications for the balance of power in the Middle East and for the many crises raging in the region. The short-term factors leading to cooperation between Turkey and Egypt will not supersede the two countries' competition for influence in the Middle East.

A recent example of this competition to gain regional influence is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Egypt on Nov. 17-18. During his trip, Erdogan spent a great deal of time trying to end the fighting between Hamas and Israel, but Egypt was the key mediator in brokering the cease-fire. The countries' attempts to mitigate the conflict can be seen as part of the broader competition between Turkey and Egypt for influence in the Arab world.