
President Tayyip Erdogan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Ankara, Turkey. (Photo credit: Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in the UAE to discuss bilateral relations and areas of cooperation with Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Cavusoglu’s meeting with Al Maktoum also included Turkey’s ambassador to Abu Dhabi Tugay Tuncer and Turkish Consul General to Dubai, Mustafa Ilker Kilic.
According to Dubai’s media office, Al Maktoum and Cavusoglu discussed “strengthening the cooperation between the UAE and Turkey and developing frameworks to collaborate on all areas of common interest.”
Cavusoglu said that Turkey and the UAE “will further develop […] economic and commercial relations.”
Cavusoglu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also discussed a number of bilateral issues on foreign and regional issues, and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The visit follows a series of 10 agreements made in Ankara on 24 November between Turkey and the UAE on a number of technological, financial, and energy investments.
Turkey, which is dealing with the rapid devaluation of its currency, having fallen to 14 Turkish lira to the dollar, is also seeking external investment and deposits to bolster its foreign currency reserves.
The UAE is investing $10 billion in Turkey. Both central banks of Turkey and the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding between them on financial exchange and countering terror-financing money laundering.
The UAE has previously accused Turkey of supporting terror.
Relations in the past have also been soured by Turkey’s support of Qatar during Doha’s dispute with the Arab Quartet, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt. The 24 November signing of agreements signaled a warming of relations between the two nations.