Turkey and UAE sign 13 cooperation deals on trade, industry and health
February 15, 2022, 4:11 am

Turkey and UAE sign 13 cooperation deals on trade, industry and health

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan/Official Facebook page

The US News reported, citing Reuters, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Monday as the countries pivot toward economic cooperation with a flurry of agreements during his first visit to the Gulf state since 2013.

Emirati states news agency reported that 13 agreements were signed during, including on trade, industry, health and medical sciences, land and sea transportation and climate action.

Turkish news agency Anadolu said an agreement on defense was signed.

Erdogan met UAE de facto ruler Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who visited Ankara last November when investment accords worth billions of dollars were signed.

Erdogan told reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before he departed: "During this visit, we aim to develop the momentum we have captured with the United Arab Emirates and to take the necessary steps for ties to go back to the level they deserve."

He added: "The dialogue and cooperation of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates carries great importance for the peace and stability of our entire region."

WAM said that the UAE and Turkey signed a joint statement on starting negotiations for a bilateral trade and investment deal, known as a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani Al Zeyoudi told Reuters the UAE expected trade with Turkey to increase substantially once the CEPA came into effect, which he said he hoped the two sides could finalise within six months to year.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in UAE for a two-day visit

The UAE and Turkey have competed for regional influence since Arab uprisings erupted a decade ago, a rivalry which saw them backing different sides in Libya's civil war and extended to disputes from the eastern Mediterranean to the Gulf.

The warming diplomatic relations come as Turkey is facing economic turmoil and as the UAE pursues a more conciliatory foreign policy driven by economic priorities.

Last month the two countries agreed on a nearly $5 billion swap deal in local currencies.

Erdogan said that during his visit Turkey and the UAE would seek to boost bilateral trade and seek opportunities in "the complementary structures of the two countries' economies".

Turkish president visits UAE to boost bilateral relations

Turkey, at odds with several regional powers as well as its Western allies over various issues, launched a regional charm offensive last year. But efforts with Egypt and Saudi Arabia have so far yielded little public improvement.

Source: usnews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.