Egypt-Gulf Countries: “New Normal” Relations

Six years after the first free elections in Egypt’s post-Arab uprisings era, the Persian Gulf media’s attention to the country’s presidential election has considerably changed. Although the Gulf countries’ political support for Egypt remains unchanged – also expressed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s two-day visit to Cairo earlier this month in which he reaffirmed the highest level of bilateral cooperation – this election appears to be less important for Cairo’s Arab allies. In fact, while in 2012 the Gulf governments were most concerned about the way the situation had developed in Egypt (the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and its electoral success), nowadays Gulf partners seem disinterested in an election that most probably will confirm Abdel Fatah al-Sisi for a second term as president of Egypt.