UAE is set to welcome Turkish president on Monday

The UAE is set to welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, February 14, in his first official visit for nearly a decade as part of major efforts to boost bilateral relations.

The president’s two-day trip comes months after His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, paid a visit to Turkey in November 2021 in a fundamental step to increase joint cooperation.

The Ankara talks saw the signing of several cooperation deals between both countries, with the UAE announcing the set up a US$10 billion investment fund in Turkey to focus on energy, health and food.

New agreements are expected to be signed during Erdogan’s visit to the UAE as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation in the fields of climate change, energy, water and food security, in addition to health, agriculture, logistics, infrastructure, finance and tourism.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s visit had marked a new era of diplomatic relations between both countries that started on April 1, 1977. The Turkish embassy had opened in Abu Dhabi in 1979, and the UAE’s embassy was established in Ankara since 1983.

Economic relations between both countries grew since the UAE’s inception, with a 1984 economic agreement that was followed by several trade partnerships.

Over the past year, government representatives of both countries have been exchanging visits in a boost to relations aimed at strengthening regional stability and prosperity.

Recently, Turkey and UAE signed 10 strategic agreements in security, economy and technology. Bilateral trade between both countries amounted to Dh26.4 billion in the first half of 2021, marking a 100 per cent growth compared to the same period last year.

One of the latest agreements was signed between both countries last month. The Turkish and Emirati central banks had agreed a nearly $5 billion swap deal in local currencies.

- sherouk@khaleejtimes.com