Ankara – July 16, 2025 — Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a series of bilateral agreements on Tuesday, deepening their strategic ties across a broad range of sectors. The agreements were signed in Ankara in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, following high-level bilateral talks and the inaugural meeting of the Turkey–UAE High-Level Strategic Council.
Speaking at the event, President Erdoğan expressed his satisfaction at hosting Sheikh Mohammed and his delegation, describing the visit as a milestone in the expanding partnership between the two countries. He recalled his 2023 visit to Abu Dhabi, during which the foundations for a comprehensive strategic cooperation were laid.
“Since then, our partnership has flourished in areas ranging from trade and infrastructure to defense, energy, technology, and transportation,” Erdoğan noted, adding that the UAE has emerged as Turkey’s leading trade partner in the Middle East.
The Turkish President stated that the two countries are poised to surpass $20 billion in bilateral trade volume this year, with a medium-term target of reaching $40 billion. He emphasized the importance of joint efforts and political will in achieving this goal.
In addition to bilateral relations, Erdoğan and Sheikh Mohammed discussed key regional issues, including the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Turkish President highlighted that both nations are exploring coordinated steps to address common regional challenges.
The agreements signed during the visit span a wide spectrum of strategic sectors. They include memorandums of understanding on cooperation in tourism and hospitality investments, the pharmaceutical industry, and industrial manufacturing. Additional agreements were reached in the fields of food and agriculture, consular coordination, and polar scientific research.
Another key memorandum focuses on the mutual protection of classified information, signaling enhanced defense and intelligence cooperation between Ankara and Abu Dhabi.
The signatories included senior officials from both governments, such as Turkish Investment Office President Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, and their UAE counterparts including Minister of Investment Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei.
Concluding his remarks, President Erdoğan expressed confidence that the agreements would contribute significantly to regional stability and mutual prosperity, saying:
“These efforts demonstrate our shared commitment to peace, development, and cooperation. May our partnership continue to grow, and may our work yield lasting benefits for our peoples.”
The agreements are expected to be published in Turkey’s Official Gazette and will serve as a roadmap for enhanced Turkish–Emirati relations in the years ahead.
