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Turkey is a 'great natural partner,' says UAE minister

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said the two countries also share a similar outlook and agree on a range of strategic topics

Turkey is a “great natural partner” for the UAE and the two countries “share a similar outlook and agree on a range of strategic topics,” a senior Emirati official said on Wednesday.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, told the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT): “As we celebrate our Golden Jubilee, partnerships and building bridges will continue to be central to our next 50-year development plans. So, we are laser-focused on prioritising sustainable economic growth and prosperity alongside regional and global partners.”

“That means establishing stronger economic, trade, business and cultural ties with nations around the world like Turkey. As a close regional neighbour, Turkey is just a great natural partner,” he added.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, met with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday.

Al Jaber is part of the high-level delegation accompanying Sheikh Mohamed during his official visit.

“From our engagements with various Turkish counterparts, it is evident and very clear that we share a similar outlook and agree on a range of topics that are strategically important to both of us,” he explained.

“It is our common interests, genuine commitment and shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity, not just for us but for the broader region.”

Al Jaber highlighted the fact that the UAE is Turkey’s largest regional trading partner.

“From 2019 to 2020, UAE exports to Turkey increased by more than 110 per cent and total trade increased by 21 per cent," he said.

The UAE, now, is “taking a comprehensive approach” to the partnership with Turkey, he emphasised. “We will build on the existing foundation between the two countries and enhance our economic, trade and social ties across multiple sectors, including energy, healthcare, food and agriculture, logistics, ports, transportation, industry and manufacturing, infrastructure, finance and capital markets, technology, tourism, culture and more.”

The UAE announced on Wednesday that it will establish a $10 billion investment fund in Turkey, which will focus on logistics, energy, healthcare and food.

The Emirati minister explained that in the past five years, the UAE has mostly invested in Turkey’s transportation, renewable energy and tourism sectors, while Turkish investments in the UAE focused on construction, automotive components and renewable energy.

“We are now ready to enter the next phase and to build on those investments,” he said.