QNA
Doha
His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani began a work visit to the Republic of Turkey on Thursday to chair with his brother President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan the eighth session of the Qatari-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee.
The Qatari and Turkish sides are expected, in the framework of the eighth session of the Supreme Qatari-Turkish Strategic Committee, to hold joint meetings, sign agreements in various fields, and discuss the consolidation and development of strategic cooperation relations and ways to enhance them, especially in the economy, investment, industry, defense, security, endowments, media, culture, and sports fields.
The meetings of the eighth session of the Supreme Strategic Committee between the two brotherly countries come in light of the advancement of bilateral relations in all fields to a partnership level, thanks to the generous patronage of HH the Amir and the President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This session is expected to contribute to strengthening the strong brotherly ties and strategic relations, that grew over the long decades between the two countries and the two brotherly people, in order enhance the partnership in the security, political, military, economic, investment, developmental, cultural and other fields, achieving the common interests of the two countries and peoples.
During the session, it is certain that the two countries will take additional steps to achieve more rapprochement and harmony and deepen the areas of cooperation. Views on regional and international developments will be exchanged, and new agreements will be signed, which will strengthen relations between the two countries in various fields, in light of their strength and durability that is developing and the strategic cooperation in various sectors, in addition to the strong bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Doha and Ankara and a convergence of views on most regional and international issues.
Qatar’s keenness on developing mechanisms of fruitful cooperation, explore new horizons, and develop and expand its strategic cooperation relations with Turkey is clear in the agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed between them.
The Qatari-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee was established in 2014. Doha hosted the committee’s first session in December 2015. Since its establishment, it has held seven sessions, resulting in the conclusion of nearly 90 agreements in various fields.
The Strategic Committee is the Qatari-Turkish tool to discuss ways to develop cooperation relations between the two countries and enhance them at various levels, especially in the economy, investment, industry, defence, and security fields.
Thanks to the agreements concluded by the Supreme Strategic Committee, the volume of trade exchange between Qatar and Turkey has grown by more than 100 percent from 2016 to 2020.
According to Planning and Statistics Authority’s (PSA) latest data, the total volume of trade exchange during the first seven months of 2022 amounted to QR4.25 billion.
The total Qatari exports to Turkey amounted to about QR1.5 billion, while Qatari imports from Turkey during the same period amounted to about QR2.75 billion.
In 2021, the total trade exchanges between the two countries amount to an estimated QR6.9 billion. The total Qatari exports to Turkey amounted to about QR2.8 billion, while the total Qatari imports from Turkey amounted to about QR4.1 billion.
As for the volume of investment between the two countries, it is explained by the large number of companies operating in Doha and Ankara. Around 711 Turkish companies operate in Qatar, including about 664 companies with Qatari and Turkish capital, and 47 companies with 100 percent Turkish capital. Additionally, more than 183 Qatari companies operate in Turkey.
Previously, during the seventh session, HH the Amir and Erdogan witnessed the signing of 11 agreements in many fields.
The most important agreements were an MoU between Qatar Development Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization in Turkey, the executive program of the memorandum of understanding in the field of standardization between the Qatar General Organization for Standards and Metrology and the Turkish Standards Institution, and an agreement of understanding between the Qatari Businessmen Association and the Turkish Investment Office.
The agreements also included the signing of a protocol on the implementation of the letter of intent for cooperation in the areas of implementing major events between the governments of the two countries, a letter of intent on emergency and disaster management between the General Directorate of Civil Defense of the Ministry of Interior and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of ceremonies and a letter of intent on the content partnership program between the Doha Forum and Antalya Diplomatic Forum.
The two countries’ joint vision is often considered a key driver for strengthening bilateral relations, some of which have reached a partnership level, by deepening cooperation and continuing to implement agreements and arrangements previously concluded between them. The two countries also have a common commitment to continue and strengthen regional and global efforts to bring peace and international security, combat terrorism, and resolve conflicts peacefully.
In this aspect, the two countries continue to work jointly to enhance regional and global efforts to establish international peace and security, combat terrorism and resolve conflicts peacefully. They also work together within the Asia Cooperation Dialogue framework and call for cooperation through the State of Qatar’s hosting of its third summit, as well as strengthening cooperation, solidarity, and coordination between them in international and regional, organizations including the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The counter-terrorism issue will not be absent from the session. The two leaders are committed and are in solidarity to combat all forms and manifestations of terrorism and have continued in efforts to enhance coordination and cooperation in combating terrorism in a manner that reflects their common values derived from international law. The two countries cooperate to address threats emanating from terrorist organizations.
The Palestinian issue will also be present during this year’s meeting, as the two leaders affirmed their absolute support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, with all Palestinian refugees granted the right to return.
Consistent with their recognition of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the two sides continue to consider the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, to be illegal and constitute a continuing obstacle to peace. They also concluded that any support for the illegal annexation of the occupied territories by the Israeli entity constitutes a real obstacle for the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights.
The past few years have witnessed remarkable growth of bilateral relations between the two countries in the financial services sector and financial coordination. The Turkish Lira - Qatari Rial currency swap agreement between the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey and the Central Bank of Qatar has been extended and amended. Work is still underway to complete the ratification procedures for the economic and trade partnership agreement signed between the two governments in 2018.
There is also remarkable growth in mutual investments in the past year. Qatari investments in Turkey amounted to $33.2 billion at the end of 2020. The past period also witnessed an increase in cooperation in infrastructure projects in both countries. Qatar has praised, through several officials, the role of Turkish companies played in developing infrastructure development projects in Qatar in preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and Qatar National Vision 2030.
During the past few months, the two countries have worked to enhance cooperation in the energy sector, especially in clean energy sources such as liquefied natural gas.
The discussion regarding the possibility of developing projects for power plants in the Republic of Turkey using natural gas or renewable energy based on an independent power production system is expected to continue by signing a long-term agreement with the relevant authorities by the Turkish government to purchase the generated electricity.
The two sides look forward to strengthening strategic cooperation in both the humanitarian, relief, and development sectors with the relevant authorities in the Republic of Turkey, namely, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) as well as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to implement the sustainable development goals and work in countries of common interest.