Strategic allies Türkiye and Qatar maintain strong relations in every field, from diplomacy and economy to culture. The sides believe there is more room for improvement in ties. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traveled to Doha on Tuesday, his second stopover in the Gulf tour after Saudi Arabia.
In his first visit to Qatar, since he was reelected as president in a May 28 runoff, Erdoğan hopes to boost the momentum in ties with the friendly Gulf country.
Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is a close friend of Erdoğan, who is credited with making Türkiye an international actor with his diplomatic skills, brokering important deals and raising Türkiye’s profile in global affairs. Sheikh Tamim was the first leader to congratulate Erdoğan after the latter’s election victory and addressed him as his “dear brother” in a congratulatory message. Sheikh Tamim last visited Türkiye in February as the first leader to visit the country following the Feb. 6 earthquakes in the country’s south, dubbed as the “disaster of the century” by Erdoğan.
Erdoğan is accompanied by a delegation of ministers and businesspeople and the visit aims to bolster strategic cooperation and economic development for both countries, particularly in defense and energy.
Prior to Erdoğan’s visit, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek traveled to Qatar on July 8 for a two-day visit. Yılmaz met the Qatar emir during that visit he described as “efficient.” The Turkish and Qatari sides discussed ties and economic cooperation back then.
The two countries mark the 50th year of establishing diplomatic ties and plan to hold the ninth meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee this year. In the previous editions of the meeting, the two countries signed 95 agreements over diplomatic, economic, cultural and educational ties.
The committee was established in 2014, and its meetings are held every year with the participation of high-ranking officials who discuss bilateral ties. Erdoğan and Sheikh Tamim have attended 31 summits since 2014.
Although the two countries have had formal ties since 1972, it was only after Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in 2002 that they stepped up their ties in every field. In the past two decades, countries have become closer than ever.
Qatar’s ambassador in Ankara says Erdoğan’s visit will help boost bilateral ties and cooperation.
“This visit is an important indicator of the solid relations that bind Türkiye and Qatar,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday. “Most likely, the visit will encompass several areas of coordination and cooperation,” he added. Sheikh Mohammed said the agenda of Erdoğan’s visit to Doha would include international and regional issues, as well as means of expanding investments between the two countries. “(Relations) have developed and expanded to cover various economic, security, military, political, and other fields,” he added.
The diplomat said that Türkiye and Qatar have many areas of joint cooperation. “The two sides are working constantly to expand these areas and remove obstacles that may impede achieving the desired success,” he added. Sheikh Mohammed said Türkiye was among the “reliable partners who participated with Qatar in organizing an exceptional World Cup tournament last year.”
“Qatar, in return, mobilized help at all levels for our Turkish brothers during the catastrophe of the earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye on Feb. 6,” he added.
“President Erdogan’s reelection means continuing work on existing projects, creating other opportunities for cooperation, as well as coordination on political and regional files,” he said. “The visits of leaders and senior officials give impetus to bilateral relations, as it is a real opportunity to discuss many issues between specialists from both sides,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Calling Türkiye an “attractive country” for investment in terms of its geographical location, advanced industry and technology, solid infrastructure and services, the diplomat said Türkiye has become a “favorite” destination for Qataris seeking to invest their money, go on holidays or get an education.
Türkiye indeed serves as a magnet for Qatari investment and official figures from the Turkish Embassy in Qatar show bilateral trade volume in the first eight months of 2022 exceeded $1.4 billion. Türkiye’s exports to Qatar surpassed $1 billion in the same period, a 60% increase compared to the first eight months of 2021. Türkiye ranks seventh among countries exporting to Qatar, and exports rose by 200% in the first eight months of 2022 based on five-year data.
Qatar hosts over 700 Turkish companies, while Türkiye hosts about 200 Qatari companies. Qatar’s direct investment in Türkiye reached $33.2 billion, while Turkish businesses are behind projects worth $22 billion overall in Qatar’s infrastructure.
In terms of military cooperation, the two countries set up a high-level committee in 2014 to boost cooperation in that field. They had already signed a military cooperation deal in 2007. In 2014, Qatar authorized a Turkish military presence in the country following a deal for military training and defense industry cooperation. A similar deal was signed in 2016. The country provided a military base for Turkish troops and conducted joint military exercises. In 2019, Türkiye-Qatar Combined Joint Force Command opened in the Gulf country in a base named after famed Muslim commander Khalid bin Walid.
Improved ties between the two countries are also reflected in the number of tourists. Türkiye hosted 140,000 Qatari tourists last year, compared to a meager 30,000 in 2016.
The two countries renewed solidarity after the Feb. 6 earthquakes in Türkiye’s south. Before that, Türkiye exhibited the same behavior when Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017, sending tons of food to Qatar under blockade. Doha, in February, set up an air bridge with Türkiye for funneling humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit provinces. It also organized fundraisers for post-earthquake assistance.
Survivors of earthquakes benefited from some 10,000 prefabricated housing units sent by Qatar, as well as mobile hospitals.
Türkiye and Qatar also cooperate in addressing the plight of Syrian refugees. A Qatari development fund jointly carry out a reconstruction project with Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) for building residences in Syria. The project aims to encourage the return of displaced Syrians within a few years to war-torn Syria. Some 240,000 houses were planned for Syrian returnees.
