Turkey to attend Arab League summit for first time in 13 years

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the Arab League summit in Cairo on Tuesday, marking the culmination of years-long efforts by Ankara to normalise relations with its regional neighbours after ties were strained following the Arab Spring.

Fidan’s presence at the summit is noteworthy, as it has been over 13 years since a Turkish foreign minister participated in an Arab League summit.

During the 2011 "Arab Spring" uprisings, Ankara and several of its regional neighbours found themselves on opposing sides, leading to deteriorating relations with countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Egypt.

Over the years, the Arab League has frequently condemned Turkey’s role in the region, particularly its military operations in Syria, Libya and Somalia.

As intelligence chief, Fidan initiated a policy of normalisation in 2020, brokering agreements with the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic relations based on long-term mutual benefits, such as regional cooperation and trade.

After becoming foreign minister last year, Fidan continued efforts to mend ties with Arab countries, including Syria, which regained full membership in the organisation last year.

A source familiar with the Arab League summit protocols told Middle East Eye that all member states needed to consent to Turkey’s participation, including Syria. Despite recent unsuccessful normalisation talks, Damascus appeared to accept Fidan’s presence at the summit.

Fidan’s inclusion in the summit followed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s first visit to Turkey in 12 years last week, aimed at fully resuming bilateral ties.

The source noted that Cairo played a key role in facilitating Fidan’s participation, as did recent Turkish diplomatic efforts like the foreign minister's meetings with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and ambassadors of Arab countries.

Consequently, the Arab League dissolved its committee charged with exploring "Turkey’s intervention in the internal affairs of the Arab states" and also dropped the related proposed topic of debate for the summit.

For the first time in years, the 22-member league did not criticise Turkey in the summit declaration.

Fidan is expected to make a statement at the summit on Tuesday to underline the importance of Turkish-Arab relationships and discuss Israel's war on Gaza and other regional issues.