UAE-Turkey bilateral relationship enters a period of stronger development

UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation on Monday, focusing on enhancing relations across different sectors and emphasising economic and developmental areas.

In terms of decades-old partnership, the Turkish embassy in the UAE opened in 1979 and the UAE opened its embassy in Turkey in 1983. The talks centred on improving mutual interests and supporting shared goals of achieving progress and prosperity for their people.

His Highness and the President of Turkey also focused on several regional and international issues, putting emphasis on developments in the Middle East. They highlighted the need for a political solution to achieve a comprehensive peace, and ensure the region’s stability.

UAE-Turkey Cepa deal bringing notable advantages

The conversation came against a backdrop of resumed negotiations in Doha, Qatar, in relation to the exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza for a ceasefire. The brutal Israel-Hamas war has been raising for five months, claiming scores of lives.

The UAE and Turkey signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) on March 3, 2023, that entered into force on September 1, 2023. Owing to the deal, businesses on either sides currently take advantage of a number of benefits, such as

1. Better market access for UAE products to Turkey in market covering more than 83% of tariff lines and 93% value of trade with Turkey

2. Open and non-discriminatory environment

3. Improved market access for UAE’s service providers

4. Removal of unnecessary technical barriers (TBT)

5. Use of international standards as a basis for technical regulations

Considerable development in UAE-Turkish relations

Monday’s telephone conversation came days after the two leaders discussed the Gaza crisis during a meeting in Dubai on the second day of the World Governments Summit. They focused on improving bilateral relations and economic partnership.

Sheikh Mohamed and Erdogan met on the sidelines of the key Summit earlier this month. His Highness highlighted the considerable development in UAE-Turkish relations, particularly in investment, trade, energy, technology and sustainable development.

Turkey attended the event as a guest of honour, besides India and Qatar. The leaders also discussed the WGS and its agenda, underscoring its role in enhancing governmental operations through innovative ideas and strategies, and boosting governmental capacity.