Turkish President Erdogan's visit makes headlines in Saudi Arabia

ISTANBUL

The visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Riyadh, which began on Tuesday, received wide-ranging attention from Saudi media.

The visit included talks between the Turkish president and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, addressing ways to enhance cooperation and regional developments, besides holding a joint investment forum that witnessed the signing of several agreements.

The Saudi media's coverage highlighted growing relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi newspaper Okaz highlighted Erdogan’s visit on its front and third pages on Wednesday, covering the talks between the Turkish president and Saudi crown prince and featuring a prominent photo of the two leaders.

On its front and ninth pages, the newspaper also published another report citing Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih as saying that Turkish companies' direct investments in Saudi Arabia have exceeded $2 billion, shedding light on the momentum of cooperation between the two countries.

It cited Al-Falih as saying that the two countries together represent 50% of the region’s GDP.

Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh also featured President Erdogan’s visit on its front page.

In its daily editorial titled “Firm Rapprochement,” Al-Riyadh wrote: “The solid relationship between the Kingdom and Türkiye reveals a deep and growing partnership across political, economic, and security fields, reflecting a shared understanding of the importance of cooperation between two pivotal states in the Arab and Islamic worlds.”

The editorial affirmed: “The strategic rapprochement between Riyadh and Ankara is the result of a conscious vision of mutual interests and a political will aimed at enhancing regional stability and building a more balanced future for the region.”

The Saudi-Turkish relations have witnessed a qualitative leap through dialogue and practical cooperation, contributing to the formulation of joint policies that enhance bilateral interests and serve regional causes, it further stated.

The Saudi Al-Ekhbariya TV channel also devoted extensive coverage on Tuesday to President Erdogan’s visit.

Its program “Al Riyad Here” discussed the visit under the headline “An important visit with weighty files for discussion… The crown prince and the Turkish president explore cooperation prospects that reflect on regional security and stability."

In one of its evening bulletins, the channel highlighted the outcomes of the visit under the headline “Saudi Arabia and Türkiye sign government agreement on renewable energy power generation projects.”

Likewise, the Saudi Press Agency highlighted the Turkish president’s visit on Tuesday, publishing multiple reports on the event.

President Erdogan on Wednesday arrived in Cairo, Egypt, as part of his official visit to the country, following his visit to Saudi Arabia.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel