Egypt and Syria had for decades been the closest of Arab allies, briefly uniting as one nation more than half a century ago and secretly planning a surprise attack against their common enemy Israel in 1973.
Today, relations between the two countries, once the twin pillars of Arab nationalism and avid champions of the Palestinian cause, are fraught because of Egypt's aversion to political Islam, the ideology of Syria's post-Bashar Al Assad rulers.
However, sources in Cairo and Damascus who spoke to The National this week expect economic ties to take the lead in thawing relations, as Egypt competes with regional powers for reconstruction contracts in a Syria devastated by 13 years of civil war.
Except for a brief spell in 2012 and 2013, when Egypt under Islamist president Mohamed Morsi opposed Mr Al Assad, Cairo had supported the Syrian leader, a choice that reflected its deep aversion to political Islam.
It was a similar aversion that motivated Mr Morsi's removal in 2013 by the military, then led by Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Egypt's President since 2014.
It was no surprise, then, that when Islamists toppled the Assad regime in December 2024, Egypt reacted with notable caution. Rather than welcome the downfall of a brutal dictator, it counselled the administration of interim President Ahmad Al Shara to be inclusive and maintain unity.
Surprisingly, nearly a year and a half later, Egypt remains suspicious of the new order in Damascus despite warm acceptance by the US – Cairo's close ally and backer of 50 years – as well as the European Union and Gulf Arab nations.
Egypt, said a Syrian diplomatic source in Damascus, is not only wary of Arab Islamist governments but also is uneasy about regimes that replaced an existing order through upheaval.
In Syria's case, not only was Mr Al Assad removed but the entire security apparatus that had ties with Cairo was gone, the source said. “Even if a secular government had replaced Assad, it would have taken time to build trust with Egypt,” they said.
Egypt and Syria had been the most important players in decades of Arab enmity towards Israel. Their zealous advocacy for Arab unity prompted them in 1958 to merge as the United Arab Republic. The union was acrimoniously disbanded in 1961 but continues to inspire Arab nationalists to this day.
Fast forward to 2026 and the fight against political Islam defines much of Egypt's regional policy. That also applies to how it has been dealing with its troubled neighbours to the south and west, Sudan and Libya respectively.
Scourged by wave after wave of violence perpetuated by Islamists since as far back as the 1970s, the fight against political Islam in Egypt is chiefly behind Cairo's counter-terrorism and security co-operation with regional and western allies, including the US and the EU.
Egypt, according to the Syrian diplomatic source, wants Damascus to hand over several Egyptian commanders who fought against the Assad regime as members or allies of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the umbrella group once led by Syria's current President.
“Cairo was told that they are under control but it continues to demand their repatriation,” said the source.
However, sources in Cairo briefed on relations with Syria said Egypt has relaxed its position somewhat, fearing that keeping Damascus at an arm's length could be tantamount to ceding influence there to other regional players.
In a much-talked-about video, a smiling Mr El Sisi and Mr Al Shara were seen conversing briefly during a group photo shoot in Cyprus last month, when an EU regional summit was held.
This month, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani visited Egypt where he held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty.
“Egypt's relations with Turkey are very good and close now, yet Egypt does not want to see the new order in Damascus left completely beholden to Ankara or other regional powers,” said one of the sources.
“Egypt also does not want to see Syria succumbing to Israeli pressure and end up effectively surrendering its claim to the Golan Heights,” said the source, alluding to the strategic plateau captured by Israel in the 1967 war and annexed in 1981.
Cairo, according to the sources, also wants to keep open lines of communication with Syria to realise its energy dream of becoming the regional hub for liquefying natural gas extracted in several countries in the area, including Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
Egypt is also eyeing lucrative reconstruction contracts in Syria, to which several trade delegations recently travelled to explore opportunities with Syrian authorities.
Syria, said the sources, also has interests that lie with Egypt, the most populous Arab nation with 109 million and an army rated as the largest in the Middle East. Egypt, moreover, is home to the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, lending significant weight to its regional standing.
Syria also needs to protect the hundreds of thousands of its citizens who took refuge in Egypt after fleeing their country's civil war. Many have joined the country's business community, starting commercial enterprises worth billions of dollars and employing thousands of Egyptians and Syrians alike.
However, Egypt has in recent months cracked down on refugees, with both Syrians and Sudanese – of whom several millions are in the country – reporting waves of random detentions and deportations.
