* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the reporters at a news conference at the İstanbul Atatürk Airport before leaving Turkey for a 2-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) upon the invitation of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today (February 14).
The last time when President Erdoğan visited the country was in 2013, when he was the Prime Minister of Turkey.
Speaking to the press ahead of his flight to the UAE, Erdoğan said that "dialogue and cooperation between Turkey and the UAE is important for peace and stability of the entire region."
"We do not consider the security and stability of all brotherly countries in the Gulf region to be separate from our own," he noted., adding, "We aim to improve the momentum to bring our relations back to the level they deserve. During my visit, we will take steps that will shape the next 50 years of our friendship and brotherhood with the UAE."
As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Erdoğan said that Turkey and the UAE "started a new era in bilateral relations with the visit of the Abu Dhabi crown prince to Ankara last November."
"The complementary nature of the two economies points to a potential far beyond the current figures. The purpose of our visit is to realize this potential quickly," President Erdoğan said, adding that he believes Ankara and Abu Dhabi "will go a long way in this direction."
With a trade volume nearing 8 billion dollars, the UAE is among Turkey's leading trading partners, Erdoğan said.
"The UAE is the 10th largest market of the overseas contracting sector in Turkey," Erdoğan noted. The Gulf country also makes "significant contributions to the dynamic investment environment" in Turkey, he added. "Turkish construction companies in the UAE have so far undertaken 141 projects worth 13 billion dollars," said the President.
Agreements to be signed during visit
President Erdoğan further underlined that "establishing partnerships in areas of high technology, venture capital, and startup companies stands out especially in terms of future cooperation opportunities":
"On the occasion of the visit, we also aim to take steps that will improve our relations in many fields from transport to advanced technologies, from the defense industry to health, agriculture, culture, and education."
On February 13, the Presidency's Communications Directorate announced that bilateral relations between Turkey and the UAE and steps for further cooperation would be discussed during Erdoğan's visit: "It is also on the agenda that agreements that would significantly contribute to the contractual basis of the bilateral relations be signed on the occasion of the visit."
The agreements will cover various areas, including investment, defense, transportation, agriculture, health, and media.
Against the background of these agreements to be signed, Erdoğan said, "For this purpose, I will also meet leading investors in the Emirates."
Accompanying Erdoğan to Abu Dhabi is a delegation including Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.
AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, and presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin also joined them. (AS/SD)
