UAE And Türkiye Strengthen Bilateral Ties During Second Political Consultations In Ankara

The second session of political consultations between the UAE and Türkiye's foreign ministries commenced on 24th January in Ankara. Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, UAE Minister of State, and Noah Yilmaz, Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister, led the meeting. Saeed Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Türkiye, was also present. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Al Marar emphasised the diplomatic ties between the two nations since 1973. He noted efforts to enhance these relations significantly. The relationship reached new heights after a high-level meeting on July 19, 2021, between President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

This pivotal meeting led to several important agreements, including the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This agreement covers economic and investment cooperation. Bilateral trade saw a remarkable increase of 108 percent in 2023, reaching USD36.3 billion from USD17.5 billion in 2022.

The recent session also addressed regional and international developments. Both parties discussed issues of mutual concern, focusing on geopolitical changes in the region. They expressed a shared interest in promoting regional stability, security, and prosperity through diplomatic means.

On the sidelines of the consultations, Khalifa Shaheen met with Hakan Fidan, Türkiye's Foreign Minister. They explored strategic relations and ways to advance mutual interests. Additionally, Shaheen met Mustafa Varank from the Turkish Parliament to discuss enhancing parliamentary relations.

The discussions underscored both countries' commitment to using diplomacy to tackle ongoing challenges effectively. This approach aims to foster collaboration for regional stability and prosperity.

The meetings highlighted the importance of continued dialogue between the UAE and Türkiye. Both sides are keen on advancing their strategic partnership across various sectors for mutual benefit.

With inputs from WAM