Qatar and Turkey strike investment and trade agreements as leaders meet in Ankara

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in official visit

From left; Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. EPA

Qatar and Turkey signed eight agreements covering humanitarian aid, energy, and defence on Wednesday, as the two strategic partners continue to develop their relations.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara before officials from the two countries held the tenth session of the Turkey-Qatar High Strategic Committee.

The non-binding agreements, signed on Wednesday, were reached in a ceremony attended by the two leaders after the meetings.

The visit, focused on investment and trade, came after Doha said at the weekend it had told Hamas and Israel it would stall efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal until they show willingness and seriousness, Reuters reported.

Turkey has been a fierce critic of Israel’s military operations since the start of the war in Gaza, and unlike its western partners does not view Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

Sheikh Tamim was accompanied in Turkey by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and an official delegation, Qatar’s official news agency reported.

Turkey and Qatar have had diplomatic relations since the early 1970s, and their political and trade ties have strengthened in the past decade. After a 2014 agreement, the two nations began operating a joint military base in Qatar – the first Turkey established in the GCC countries.

The two countries shared bilateral trade worth $1.34 billion dollars last year, according to figures from Turkey’s official statistics authority.

Turkey’s efforts to build out its energy production and transport infrastructure have also been enhanced by Qatari investment, Turkish state TV channel TRT reported.

Qatar is one of the largest foreign investors in Turkey, the country’s official news agency reported yesterday. “There are roughly 200 Qatari firms operating in the Turkish market, while over 771 Turkish firms operate in the Qatari market, as well as 15 Turkish firms activating in Qatar Free Zones,” the Qatar News Agency reported.