Türkiye, Qatar strengthen ties through joint statement

DOHA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Gulf tour has taken a significant step towards deepening diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Qatar as the two nations signed a joint statement during his visit to Doha.

Welcomed at Hamad International Airport by Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, along with Türkiye's ambassador to Doha Mehmet Mustafa Göksu and other officials, Erdoğan's arrival marked the second stop of his three-stop Gulf tour, with a primary focus on attracting investments.

The July 18 joint statement comes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Qatar.

At the beginning of a meeting between the delegations led by Erdoğan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the declaration was inked by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatar Prime Minister Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

The statement underscored the fruitful nature of the current strategic partnership between the Republic of Türkiye and the State of Qatar, emphasizing that "both countries share a similar approach on various regional and international issues." It pointed to the High Strategic Committee mechanism as a concrete indicator of the strong partnership between the two brotherly nations, with the committee members convening annually since 2015.

The committee has been instrumental in signing nearly 100 documents aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors and fields, the parties announced.

In addition to political and diplomatic cooperation, the statement also addressed the "thriving economic and commercial relations" between Türkiye and Qatar. "We sincerely desire to advance economic and commercial relations that will serve the interests of our two brotherly countries and our people," the joint commitment expressed.

During the meeting, Erdoğan presented Türkiye's new electric car Togg gift to the Qatari emir.

In response to Erdoğan's visit, Al Thani took to his Twitter account to address the meeting. "I was happy to host my brother, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Doha," he wrote.

The emir emphasized the significance of their nations coming together to pursue common interests and explore promising opportunities for economic cooperation.

Erdoğan's Gulf tour started with a stop in Saudi Arabia, where a substantial drone procurement contract was signed with Turkish defense firm Baykar. The final leg of his tour took him to the United Arab Emirates on July 19.