Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah on Thursday, his office said, making his first trip to Saudi Arabia since 2017 after intense efforts by the regional rivals to repair ties which have been strained in recent years.
Turkiye and Saudi Arabia will start a “new era” to boost bilateral ties, Erdogan said on Thursday before his departure to Saudi Arabia, according to Anadolu Agency.
“My visit (to Saudi Arabia) is the manifestation of our common will to start a new era of cooperation as two brotherly countries,” Erdogan told reporters at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.
“It is in our common interest to increase our cooperation with Saudi Arabia in fields such as health, energy, food security, agricultural technologies, defense industry, and finance,” he said.
Erdogan also said that Turkiye strives to ensure regional peace and resolve problems via dialogue and diplomacy.
“I believe we will boost our ties in every field through our joint efforts,” he said, stressing “the potential especially in renewable and clean energy technologies.”
He said regional and international developments will also be on the agenda during his visit. “We express at every occasion that we place as much importance on the stability and security of our brothers in the Gulf region as our own.”
Erdogan also underlined the importance of “dialogue and cooperation” for the security and stability of the entire region as “threats are growing more and more complex.”
