Turkish foreign minister to visit Saudi Arabia Tuesday

By Tugba Altun

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources.

Fidan is expected to highlight the growing strength of political relations between the two countries in his discussions and express the goal of further boosting the rapidly expanding trade volume with Saudi Arabia.

He will emphasize that the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council is an important mechanism for deepening bilateral cooperation and exploring new avenues of collaboration.

Fidan is anticipated to emphasize the significance of the international community's increasing engagement with Syria's new administration, noting Saudi Arabia's positive approach in this regard.

He is also expected to underline Türkiye's commitment to cooperating with Saudi Arabia on lifting sanctions on Syria and call for greater international pressure on Israel to make the Gaza ceasefire permanent.

The Turkish minister will stress the importance of close cooperation between Ankara and Riyadh in advancing the vision of a two-state solution in the Middle East.

During his visit, Fidan will discuss the activities of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, established in 2016, with its first meeting held in Ankara in 2017.

The second meeting is expected to take place in Riyadh under the leadership of the foreign ministers. The council offers an opportunity to evaluate all aspects of bilateral cooperation.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited Türkiye on July 14, 2024. Fidan also visited Riyadh earlier this month to attend a multilateral Syria meeting, where he met with his Saudi counterpart.

- Türkiye-Saudi Arabia relations

The multidimensional relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia continue to strengthen.

Bilateral trade reached approximately $8 billion in 2024, with half of that amount coming from Turkish exports.

Turkish contracting firms have undertaken more than 400 projects in Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye's rapidly developing defense industry is attracting Saudi interest.

Both countries maintain close dialogue on regional issues, particularly regarding Palestine and Syria. They also continue their work as member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation-Arab League Gaza Contact Group.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan