Türkiye is among the most productive nations, plays a significant role in the global supply chain, and has always been attractive for international investors and multinational brands, the head of the Union of Arab Banks said Thursday.

Speaking at the two-day International Arab Banking Summit in Istanbul, Mohammed Mahmoud El-Etreby said Türkiye and Arab countries have the potential to make joint investments in third countries.

El-Etreby, who is the chairperson of Egypt's Banque Misr, said bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and the Arab world was $256 billion last year, adding that there is a need for cooperation between the Turkish and Arabic world's banking sectors.

The Union of Arab Banks attaches great importance to the development of these bilateral relations, he said and also pointed to the importance of the Development Road Project between Türkiye, Iraq and Qatar.

Cooperation and relations between Türkiye and Arab countries should be stronger to realize integration in the industrial sector, he added. The event will conclude on Friday.