His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey, and his high-level delegation arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, today for an official visit of great strategic importance. He was received at King Khalid International Airport by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, and a number of senior officials, including the Minister of Commerce, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, the accompanying minister, the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Turkey, Fahd bin Asaad Abu Al-Nasr, and the Turkish Ambassador to the Kingdom, Fatih Ulusoy. This reflects the warm welcome and the great importance the Kingdom attaches to this historic visit.
Context of the visit and historical background
This visit marks a new and advanced stage in Saudi-Turkish relations, following years of strained ties. This diplomatic step represents the culmination of reconciliation efforts that began in the last two years, a key milestone of which was the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Ankara in June 2022. Through these meetings, the two leaderships seek to turn the page on the past, focus on shared interests, and build a strong partnership based on mutual respect and constructive cooperation to address regional and international challenges.
Economic importance and expected impact
The economic file is a top priority on the visit's agenda, as both countries seek to significantly boost trade and direct investment. The visit coincides with the signing of a package of agreements and memoranda of understanding in vital sectors including direct investment, defense industries, energy, contracting, tourism, and telecommunications. Turkey views the Kingdom as a key investment partner capable of supporting its economy, while Saudi Arabia sees Turkish companies and their expertise as an opportunity to contribute to achieving the ambitious goals of Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the national economy and attract high-quality foreign investment.
Regional and international dimensions of the visit
Regionally, the Saudi-Turkish rapprochement is viewed as a significant stabilizing factor in the Middle East. Both countries wield considerable political and economic influence in the Islamic world, and their cooperation can contribute to finding political solutions to numerous crises, such as the situations in Syria and Yemen. This strategic alliance also strengthens joint coordination in addressing security challenges and constitutes an influential axis in the regional balance of power, serving the interests of security and stability throughout the region and enhancing the two countries' standing on the international stage as active members of the G20.
