UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived on Saturday in Istanbul on a working visit to Turkey. Sheikh Mohammed was welcomed upon his arrival by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two leaders will hold talks later to discuss opportunities for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, with a focus on further enhancing economic cooperation and supporting regional stability.
Sheikh Mohamed was accompanied by ministers and officials, including Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology.
This weekend's trip, one of only a handful of overseas visits by Sheikh Mohamed since he became president 13 months ago, reflects the depth of Emirati-Turkish relations. As Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed visited Turkey in November 2021, while Mr Erdogan visited the UAE in February last year.
The two leaders held a summit remotely in March, during which they witnessed the signing ceremony of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Turkey.
The total non-oil trade between the UAE and Turkey reached nearly $19 billion last year, an increase of 40 per cent from 2021 and more than 100 per cent from 2020, making Turkey the fastest-growing partner among the top 10 trade partners of the Emirates.
In November 2021, the UAE announced the establishment of a $10 billion investment fund in Turkey, focusing on strategic investments, most notably in the logistics sectors, including energy, health and food.
The two countries have seen a recent expansion in air links, with Emirates, Etihad irways, flydubai and Air Arabia connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi with destinations including Istanbul and Ankara, and some of the popular resorts on the south coast.
A visit by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in 1984 was regarded as a major moment in Arab-Turkish relations, making front page news across the Middle East.
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