Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the UAE, marking his final leg of a Gulf trip aimed to drive economic investments, Emirati state media announced on Wednesday.
The tour included stops in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where Erdogan signed a number of deals to boost the ailing Turkish economy.
“Erdogan has arrived in the UAE on an official visit, accompanied by Turkiye’s First Lady Emine Erdogan,” the UAE’s official WAM news agency said.
Erdogan and his delegation were welcomed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court.
The Turkish and Emirati leaders are expected to build on ties forged when Sheikh Mohamed visited Ankara in November 2021 and pledged a $10 billion fund to invest in Turkey’s economy.
The Turkish leader flew in from Qatar, where he met with ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
During Erdogan’s stop in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh signed a major drone procurement contract with a Turkish defence firm.
Turkey is facing a currency collapse and soaring inflation that have battered its economy. Hence, Ankara recently restored relations with Gulf states including the UAE and Saudi Arabia after years of rivalry following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.
