President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday is set to pay a two-day visit to Qatar upon the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The highlight of the visit is the ninth meeting of the Qatar-Türkiye High Strategic Committee, which will be held on Monday. The meeting will review all aspects of relations between the two countries and explore ways to deepen them. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza will also dominate the talks between leaders of two countries that play an active role in mediation of the conflict and helping Palestinian civilians trapped in the enclave besieged by Israel.
Turkish sources said the talks with Türkiye’s strategic partner Qatar will involve the exchange of views on regional and global matters, primarily Israel’s attacks on Gaza and other occupied lands of Palestine. The sides will also sign several cooperation deals and memoranda.
Erdoğan will also attend the 44th summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Tuesday in Doha. Türkiye is a "strategic dialogue" partner of the GCC, which is composed of Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.
Sources say Erdoğan will discuss the extension of the cease-fire in the Palestine-Israel conflict in Qatar, which is the top mediator on the issue, especially in the release of hostages on both sides and converting a temporary truce into a permanent one. Erdoğan said at an event last week that they welcomed the hostage exchange and humanitarian pause in the conflict and expressed gratitude for "all brotherly countries securing it."
The 9th Qatar-Türkiye High Strategic Committee reflects the "deep-rooted ties between the two brotherly countries," Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s ambassador in Ankara told Anadolu Agency (AA) ahead of the meeting. He also appreciated the high level of bilateral relations, which he attributed to the "common political will that has taken root under the wise leadership" of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Erdoğan.
Bin Nasser noted that the committee’s ninth meeting coincides with the 50th anniversary of establishing ties between Qatar and Türkiye in 1973. "Having such meetings on the highest level is an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relations in all its dimensions, as well as an opportunity to discuss the regional and international issues listed within the joint agenda," he added. He stressed that Qatar and Türkiye have "preserved their strong position against regional challenges" in the past years through their close coordination over important regional files.
The Qatari ambassador noted that the trade volume between the two countries increased by 17% in 2022 to a value of $2.2 billion (TL 63.66 billion) in comparison to $1.8 billion in 2021, adding that several Qatari companies are active in Türkiye with their capital totaling $33.2 billion. "The political, economic, financial and trade cooperation will be one of the main pillars for our strategic partnership," he underlined
The Qatar-Türkiye High Strategic Committee was established in 2014 as a culmination of their advanced ties and partnerships in various vital fields of cooperation.