Qatar and Turkey cemented their strong relations further. This was evident when Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, chaired the 5th session of the Qatar-Turkey Supreme Strategic Committee, at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. The meeting dealt with the strong strategic ties in all fields, particularly political, trade partnerships, economic, and investment ties. A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed.
The Qatari-Turkish relations are old and based on fraternity, understanding and mutual respect. The meeting is the 26th between H H the Amir and President Erdogan in 60 months, a record in the history of relations which is diversifying at all levels between the two countries. The Qatar-Turkey Supreme Strategic Committee has held four meetings, alternating between the two countries, during which over 45 agreements have been signed in various fields.
It must be mentioned that the two countries, on several occasions, have shown that their friendship is true, solid and strong, that was reflected by each other during difficult times, in particular, Turkey’s efforts to lift the unjust blockade imposed on Qatar, as well as Doha’s strong position and support for Ankara during the failed coup attempt in the summer of 2016 as well as during the crisis of the Turkish lira last year, where H H the Amir paid a visit to Turkey and directed to provide a package of economic projects, investments and deposits of approximately QR55bn ($15bn) in support of Turkish economy.
The depth of the friendship between the two countries can be ascertained from the fact that Qatar’s investment in Turkey amounted to $23bn. The Qatari investments focus on various areas, notably the Turkish banking sector, energy sectors, manufacturing, tourism, real estate and agriculture, to name a few. The number of Turkish companies operating in Qatar with Qatari and Turkish joint capital, has reached 242, while the number of companies with pure Turkish capital is about 26 companies.
Qatar and Turkey continue to enjoy robust trade relations and the combined value of their trade exchange hit $2bn last year, registering a sharp jump of around 54 percent compared to 2017. A commercial and economic partnership agreement signed between the two countries in September 2018 aims to expand such cooperation by promoting trade exchange and easing restrictions on investments, among other areas. Turkish companies are handling projects worth over $11.6bn in Qatar, most of which are geared towards preparations for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Qatar-Turkey relations are accelerating at a fast pace in all fields. The investments and cooperation between the two countries indicate a long-lasting partnership and friendship. Enhancing ties will achieve further growth and prosperity that will serve the industry well in both the countries.
