Qatar and Türkiye took part in a series of high-level meetings in January, including an economic forum and a three-day expo aimed at further enhancing the bilateral and economic relations of both countries.
On the ISPAT side, a delegation led ISPAT President Arda Ermut held meetings with Qatar Businessmen Association Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani and Qatar Chamber Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani. The delegation also met with institutions such as the Qatar Financial Centre and the Qatar Investment Authority, as well as with private companies and policymakers to promote investment opportunities in Türkiye.
Commenting on the activities, Ermut said, “In all of these meetings we were able to discuss investment opportunities. There are many individuals and institutions in Türkiye that are trying to increase relations with Qatar, starting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Customs and Trade, and the Ministry of National Defense, all of whom are opening the way for us.”
According to Ermut, the relationship between Qatar and Türkiye is unique, and further strengthening of this relationship would not only be beneficial for both countries, but also for the entire region in terms of stability and economic prosperity. He stated, “While the majority of Türkiye’s FDI is from Europe, ISPAT is seeking to diversify and enrich its FDI sources with the GCC region – a region that has witnessed a steady increase [in FDI inflows to Türkiye] in previous years. In 2010, the share of Türkiye’s FDI from Europe was around 75 percent; it is now down to around 65 percent. At the same time, the share of Asian countries in overall volume is around 5 percent now, up from around 2 percent.”