The visit of President of the Republic of Turkey H E Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Qatar on Thursday not only shows the depth of close, strategic ties between the two brotherly countries but Turkish President’s meeting with Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will also further strengthen bilateral relations for mutual benefit of both the nations.
The brotherly relations and trusted friendship between Qatar and Turkey have passed all tests and the bonds of mutual love and respect between the two nations are growing with every passing day.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of the Republic of Turkey H H Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday discussed the strategic relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them in various fields, especially in economic, investment, commercial, energy and defense cooperation in a way that achieves common interests for the two countries and peoples.
The two leaders affirmed their determination to bring the relations between the two countries to more cooperative and integrated levels in all fields. Without any doubt, Qatar and Turkey have always stood together to beat regional, international challenges.
Turkey always stood by Qatar and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the first leader of the world who openly and clearly denounced imposition of blockade against Qatar by neighbouring countries in June 2017.
Turkey under President Erdogan’s leadership fully supported Qatar to defeat short-term challenges posed by the blockade like food security and is still whole-heartedly supporting Qatar’s just diplomatic efforts for lifting of unjust siege on all international forums.
Annual meetings of Qatar-Turkey Supreme Strategic Committee, established in 2014 as a bilateral mechanism to form the institutional basis of high-level dialogue and cooperation between Qatar and Turkey, are co-chaired by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and H E President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The last meeting of Qatar-Turkey Supreme Strategic Committee was held in Doha in November 2019 in which many important pacts were signed.
Like political relations, both brotherly countries enjoy great economic cooperation. By the end of 2018, trade volume between the two countries increased by 57 %, compared to 2017, and reached a level of $1.4 billion. Over 180 Turkish companies are operating in Qatar and Qatar ranks first among the Gulf countries in terms of the number of projects undertaken by Turkish contractors.
The volume of Qatari capital investments in Turkey has also been increasing steadily.
