Turkey, UAE forge multibillion-dollar agreements, including potential extradition of Sedat Peker

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's official tour of Gulf countries ended with a momentous meeting on the third day in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The president sat down with his counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Al Watan Palace, where both leaders and their respective delegations engaged in discussions.

During this high-profile summit, a total of 13 agreements were inked between Turkey and the UAE, spanning sectors such as energy, transportation, infrastructure, logistics, e-commerce, finance, healthcare, food, tourism, real estate, construction, defense industry, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies.

The cumulative value of these deals stands at a staggering 50.7 billion dollars, showcasing the magnitude of the economic cooperation between the two nations, according to a statement from the Presidency's Communication Directorate.

The directorate also confirmed the establishment of a "High-Level Strategic Council," which will be led jointly by Erdoğan and Bin Zayed. This move is seen as a significant step in elevating the bilateral relationship to the level of a strategic partnership, signifying a new era of collaboration and cooperation.

The relations between Turkey and the UAE significantly deteriorated following the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, with the pro-government media consistently accusing the Gulf country of backing the coup. Erdoğan initiated a rapprochement with the Gulf countries in late 2021.

Criminal extradition agreement

Moreover, amidst the numerous agreements, a key provision was the inclusion of a criminal extradition treaty. Turkey has expressed its intent to seek the extradition of Sedat Peker, a well-known figure in the country's underground world for several decades.

Peker, who moved to the UAE in 2021, leveled serious allegations against former and incumbent government officials, including accusations of political assassinations, corruption, smuggling, and drug trafficking. His YouTube videos where he made those allegations attracted tens of millions of views.

The shocking revelations made by Peker had a profound impact on Turkey, leading to an ongoing investigation and request for his return. However, the UAE authorities had initially allowed Peker to share videos on social media, where he continued his exposé.

Eventually, even those actions were restricted, but the controversial figure found ways to communicate his claims through Twitter, retweeting and liking certain tweets.

(NT/VK)