Turkish and Qatari foreign ministers signed a declaration during Turkish president’s visit to Doha on occasion of 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at the Lusail Palace in Doha on Tuesday, marking a critical step in the ongoing strengthening of bilateral ties, according to Qatar’s state news agency.
The two allies jointly commemorated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the signing of a joint statement during the official visit to the Gulf state.
The official document underlines their strategic partnership across a variety of fields including political, diplomatic, economic, and commercial sectors.
“We are determined to continue our joint efforts to coordinate in various fields to ensure the continuity of the strengthening of bilateral relations for the benefit of the two brotherly countries and peoples,” the joint statement said.
The foreign ministers of both Turkey and Qatar ratified the statement, denoting half a century of diplomatic affiliation.
Turkey-Qatar relations, first established in 1973, were also acknowledged to have “undergone a qualitative transformation,” progressing to a strategic partnership. This partnership reflects “deep-rooted” historical ties with mutual approaches on regional and international issues.
The two countries have seen substantial economic and commercial growth in recent years, demonstrating the fruitfulness of their strategic partnership, the statement added.
Erdogan also took the opportunity to gift a Turkish-manufactured electric car to the amir.
Togg, the Turkish president’s electric vehicle, was unveiled at Lusail Palace near the capital. Footage that surfaced online showed the amir being presented with the car before the two leaders drove around the palace to test drive it.
The Togg has been under development for several years as a symbol of Turkey’s pursuit of technological sovereignty in the automotive industry.
This trip to Qatar is the second stop in Erdogan’s three-day tour of the Gulf region.
Earlier, the Turkish President had visited Saudi Arabia where he held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss bilateral ties and potential collaboration opportunities.
The final leg of the tour is Erdogan’s visit to the UAE, state news agency WAM reported Wednesday.
After a decade of strained relations, Erdogan has worked to repair diplomatic ties with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in the last two years. When Saudi Arabia and the UAE imposed a blockade on Qatar in 2017, Turkey swiftly sent troops to Doha.
However, business resumed as ties have since warmed up. Last year, Abu Dhabi agreed to a $5 billion local currency swap with Ankara to help the struggling lira. Since then, several UAE companies have announced investments in Turkey.
