ABU DHABI – Istanbul and Abu Dhabi have inked 13 agreements as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Middle Eastern country for the first time in nearly a decade to normalize ties between the two regional powers.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received the Turkish president and his accompanying delegation upon his arrival at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The visit of the 67-year-old marked a landmark step towards strengthening ties between the two nations, revolving around cooperation in various fields.
I was pleased to welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the UAE today. We discussed opportunities to strengthen our bilateral relations and witnessed the signing of several agreements and MOUs aimed at expanding cooperation between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/ICQ8UIi21Y
— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) February 14, 2022
During his visit, the Turkish premier called on UAE de facto ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the capital amid strained ties as Istanbul and the supported opposing sides in the Libyan civil war and on other issues.
Erdogan, while speaking at Istanbul airport, said his visit marked the beginning of a new era in relations between the two sides.
13 agreements were signed between the Governments of the Republic of Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by President @RTErdogan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The agreements are as follows:https://t.co/8G8M5uUOIb pic.twitter.com/D434090gWV
— Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) February 14, 2022
Meanwhile, the historic agreements signed during the recent visit were the first in a decade. Agreements on the defense industry, health, climate change, industry, technology, trade, economy, culture, agriculture, trade, economy, youth, transportation, disaster management, meteorology, communication, and archive were signed during the meeting.
The two countries reaffirmed putting aside a longtime regional rivalry and working on better trade ties to explore defense industry cooperation.
President @RTErdogan was welcomed with an official ceremony at Qasr Al Watan by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. pic.twitter.com/qE0WwHw8iu
— Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (@trpresidency) February 14, 2022
A statement issued by the Turkish Presidency, quoting Erdogan said: “The complementary structure of the economies of the two countries actually points to a potential far beyond the current figures.”
“The purpose of our visit is to quickly realize this potential,” the statement further cited.
UAE ruler said the state was keen to cooperate with Istanbul to confront a number of common challenges that the region is witnessing through dialogue and diplomatic resolve. The Gulf nation also hopes to double or triple trade volume with Turkey, which it sees as a route to new markets.
UAE is currently facing a growing threat from Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who have launched several drones and missile attacks on the Gulf country, prompting it to step up defense cooperation with other nations.
