Turkey and Saudi Arabia have issued a joint statement stressing the need to activate their defence and security co-operation agreements.
It follows a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi Press Agency said the two men discussed the need to increase security and defence co-operation, as well as a number of regional issues.
Ahead of Mr Erdogan's visit to Egypt on Wednesday, Turkey and Saudi Arabia emphasised the importance of enhancing existing security co-operation and co-ordination on issues of common interest, including combating crime in all its forms, combating terrorism, extremism, and their financing.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing co-ordination and intensifying efforts to maintain international peace and security, the statement read.
On Sudan, they reaffirmed their firm positions supporting the unity of the country and the preservation of its security, stability and sovereignty.
They also stressed the need to launch a political process led by the Sudanese people through the “establishment of a civilian government that does not include extremist groups and entities that have committed crimes against the Sudanese people”.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt have maintained close relations with Sudan's Armed Forces chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan. Gen Al Burhan separately visited Saudi Arabia and Turkey in December for talks with the leaders.
The joint statement also referenced the situation in Gaza, Syria, Yemen and Somalia.
Mr Erdogan told Prince Mohammed that Turkey was determined to take relations to a higher level, his office said, in areas including renewable energy and defence industry.
The meeting was “to discuss additional steps to deepen co-operation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia, along with regional and global developments”.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia have strengthened their long-standing relations through an increasing number of high-level reciprocal visits in recent years.
In a phone call with Prince Mohammed last month, Mr Erdogan said Turkey was ready to support dialogue between Yemeni factions. Turkey and Saudi Arabia both condemned Israel's recognition of Somalia's breakaway territory of Somaliland in December.
In Egypt on Wednesday, Mr Erdogan will co-chair the second meeting of the Turkey–Egypt High-Level Strategic Co-operation Council with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
“Bilateral issues will be discussed, and views will also be exchanged on regional and international developments, with particular focus on Palestine,” the Turkish Presidency said.
Mr Erdogan is also scheduled to take part in a Turkey–Egypt business forum during his visit. Alarmed by Israel's expansionism, Egypt has moved in recent months to bolster its standing in a turbulent Middle East, forging close ties with US ally and Nato member Turkey.
Egypt's relations with Turkey became fraught when Islamist Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's president at the time, was removed in 2013 by the military, then led by Mr El Sisi. But relations improved after the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.
