President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the importance of avoiding "divisive rhetoric" for the peace and stability of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"Avoiding divisive rhetoric in the process leading up to the elections (scheduled for October) is important not only for the peace and security of Bosnia-Herzegovina but also for its economy and internal peace," Erdoğan said at the Türkiye-Bosnia-Herzegovina Business Forum in the capital Sarajevo.

The Turkish president, on a three-day Balkan tour until Thursday, will also visit Serbia and Croatia.

Erdoğan said Türkiye's policy for Bosnia-Herzegovina has always been "sincere, objective, embracing, and unifying."

The president called on Turkish businesspeople to invest more in the southeastern European country, saying: "Let's make investments here and raise Bosnia-Herzegovina together."

"Our trade volume in the first eight months of this year increased by 15% compared to the same period last year, amounting to $627 million," he said.

Erdoğan added that the two countries want to increase this amount to above $1 billion (TL 18.2 billion).

"I would like to underline once again that we are and will be with Bosnia-Herzegovina in almost every field," he said.

The Balkans is a priority for Türkiye not only from the political, economic and geographical perspectives but also due to its historical, cultural and human ties with the region.

In recent years, the Balkans region has become an attractive market for Turkish investors with its qualified workforce, business-friendly investment environment, and tax and financial incentives.

The region is often described as Türkiye's gateway to the European Union, thanks to its geographical location.

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Turkish diplomatic relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Türkiye last week vowed to boost "deep-rooted historical, human and cultural ties" between the countries in all areas.