Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase Turkish drones on Tuesday in Ankara's largest defence contract as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues his three-day tour of the Gulf.
Mr Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the signing ceremony between Turkish defence firm Baykar and Riyadh's defence ministry, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Saudi Arabia will acquire the drones “with the aim of enhancing the readiness of the kingdom's armed forces and bolstering its defence and manufacturing capabilities,” Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said.
It comes as the long-time president seeks to shore up regional alliances and bolster Turkey's failing economy following his second-round victory in May's general elections.
Baykar chief executive Haluk Bayraktar said it was the biggest defence and aviation export contract in Turkey's history.
The Akinci drones will be used in the air and navy forces of Saudi Arabia, Baykar said, without sharing more details.
Mr Erdogan has placed investment as the top priority of his trip to the Gulf, telling reporters Ankara has a “serious investment opportunity” in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed several other bilateral agreements, Spa reported, including deals on energy, real estate and direct investment.
In Jeddah, Prince Mohammed test-drove an electric car with the Turkish President on Monday.
The two leaders tested the Togg model, Turkey's first electric car brand, in the courtyard of Al Salam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported.
Mr Erdogan will travel to Doha on Tuesday evening before arriving in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, where he will hold talks with President Sheikh Mohamed.
Warming relations with Gulf states has provided a much-needed boost to the Turkish economy, which has continued to slump despite Mr Erdogan's victory.
The UAE and Turkey signed a trade deal potentially worth $40 billion over the next five years following his re-election in May.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Background: Chemical Weapons
