President Erdogan’s Gulf Tour Commences: Saudi Arabia Welcomes Turkish Leader
President Erdogan Strengthens Economic Ties on Gulf Tour, Starts with Saudi Arabia
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has arrived in Saudi Arabia, commencing the first leg of his three-country Gulf trip aimed at attracting foreign investment to bolster Turkey’s economy.
During his visit, Erdogan will meet with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah before heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar later in the week.
Highlighting the primary agenda of joint investment and commercial activities, Erdogan emphasized the importance of these engagements in the coming period.
Over the past 20 years, bilateral trade between Turkey and the Gulf countries has seen significant growth, increasing from $1.6 billion to approximately $22 billion, as reported by AFP. Erdogan expressed the intent to further expand this figure through business forums and explore new avenues for cooperation.
This visit marks Erdogan’s second trip to Saudi Arabia following a recent thaw in relations. Tensions arose between the two nations after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. However, with relations on the mend, Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia in April 2022, and Crown Prince Mohammed visited Turkey in June of the previous year.
Erdogan’s current visit to Saudi Arabia is timely, as Turkey confronts currency devaluation and high inflation that have posed challenges to its economy.
Several agreements are expected to be signed during Erdogan’s trip, as Ankara seeks financial support from non-Western partners. A senior Saudi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed these forthcoming accords to AFP.
Following his Gulf tour, Erdogan will travel to northern Cyprus, which Turkey invaded and occupied in 1974. This visit comes after his re-election in May for another five-year term.
Sinem Cengiz, a researcher at Qatar University, noted that Erdogan’s visit to the Gulf following Turkey’s critical elections signifies the significance of the Gulf states in Turkey’s foreign policy agenda. The growing Gulf interest in diverse sector investments presents a boost for Turkey, as it aims to increase exports and address its economic challenges, according to the expert on Gulf-Turkish relations.
