His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey, and the high-level delegation accompanying him, arrived today in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on an official visit of great strategic importance, which comes as a culmination of the path of rapprochement and development of relations between the two countries during the recent period.
At the forefront of those who received him at King Khalid International Airport were His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region, along with a number of senior officials, including His Highness Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Secretary of the Region, His Excellency the Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, who is in charge of the accompanying minister, the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Fahd bin Asaad Abu Al-Nasr, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Kingdom, Mr. Amrullah Ashler, the Acting Director of the Region Police, Major General Mansour bin Nasser Al-Otaibi, and the Undersecretary of Royal Protocol, Mr. Fahd Al-Sahil, which reflects the warmth of the reception and the extent of the attention that the Kingdom attaches to this visit.
Historical context and a new phase of relations
This visit comes at a new and important juncture in the history of Saudi-Turkish relations, which have witnessed remarkable development after a period of strain. Efforts to revitalize bilateral ties began in 2022 with President Erdoğan's visit to the Kingdom, followed by a historic visit to Ankara by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister. These reciprocal visits reflect a shared desire by the leadership of both countries to turn the page on the past and open broader horizons for cooperation in all fields, serving their common interests and enhancing security and stability in the region.
The importance of the visit and its expected impact
President Erdoğan's visit carries profound economic, political, and strategic dimensions. Economically, the talks are expected to focus on ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries, which has witnessed significant growth recently. The Kingdom seeks to attract more high-quality Turkish investments within the framework of Vision 2030 , particularly in the construction, defense, tourism, and technology sectors. Conversely, Turkey is considered an attractive destination for Saudi investments and capital. It is likely that several agreements and memoranda of understanding will be signed during the visit, aiming to establish sustainable economic partnerships.
On the political and regional level, coordination between Riyadh and Ankara, as two influential regional powers, is of paramount importance given the challenges facing the Middle East. The visit will provide an opportunity to exchange views and coordinate positions on regional and international issues of mutual concern, such as the situations in Syria and Yemen, the Palestinian question, and counterterrorism efforts, thereby contributing to finding political solutions to crises and enhancing regional stability.
