Yousra Adel (Abu Dhabi)
The head of the Communications Department in the Turkish presidency, Fakhruddin Altun, confirmed that the UAE and Turkey are two countries of great importance in our region, and they have a global influence, noting that they enjoy deep-rooted historical, cultural, economic and social ties, noting that the “COP28” hosted by the UAE at the end of this year, It could pave the way for more ambitious climate action to protect our planet.
Altoun said in an exclusive interview with Al-Ittihad: “We witnessed, through high-level visits, a strong political will at the leadership level to continue strengthening our mutually beneficial relations,” stressing that the great support provided by the UAE in the aftermath of the unprecedented earthquake disaster in Turkey, will always remain in the memory of the Turkish people.
The head of the communication department in the Turkish presidency stated that the year 2023 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, pointing out that the volume of bilateral trade reached $10 billion in 2022, an increase of 25% compared to 2021, while this figure reached $6.7 billion in the five months. The first of this year, an increase of 87% compared to the same period of the previous year.
Altun added that Turkey and the UAE have great importance in the region in addition to their global influence, and they have deep-rooted historical, cultural, economic and social relations. He explained, “During the past two years, we have witnessed a strong political will at the leadership level to strengthen our mutually beneficial relations, and thanks to that, a lot has been achieved in this period.”
Fakhruddin Altun continued: “We were pleased recently to receive His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, on the occasion of the European Champions League final in Istanbul, and we were also pleased to receive wonderful hosting in all visits of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the United Arab Emirates.” sister United.
The head of the Communications Department in the Turkish Presidency noted that after the earthquake that occurred last February, with unprecedented strength in Turkey, the UAE provided great and very important support, and it will always remain in the memory of the Turkish people.
In his private interview with Al-Ittihad, Alton explained that the year 2023 witnesses the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, and in the coming decades our common goal is to deepen cooperation and raise our partnership to strategic horizons based on mutual interests, expressing his belief that “the current course of relations provides the foundation For the strategic partnership, and it is pleasing to have a strong and mutual will at the highest level to move in this direction.
He said, “The UAE is Turkey’s largest trading partner in the Gulf region, our economies are complementary to each other,” adding: “After the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in March and the completion of the ratification process on both sides, I strongly believe that the agreement will contribute to deepening our economic relations.”
He continued, “We have a will to strengthen the legal basis for mutual investment efforts between our two countries.” He pointed out that cooperation in the economic field is proceeding in full swing, as the volume of bilateral trade reached $10 billion in 2022, an increase of 25 percent compared to 2021. The volume of trade exchange reached $6.7 billion in the first five months of this year, an increase. 87 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
The head of the Turkish Presidency’s Communication Department pointed to the visit of Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Simsek, to the UAE in June, saying: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, warmly received them.”
He added, “We are looking at opportunities to expand the volume of trade, in addition to investments in a larger way,” explaining that among the areas of interest: renewable energy, the defense industry, export financing, and sectoral investments. He pointed out that there is great potential for cooperation on this type of large-scale project.
Altun said: “We appreciate our strategic partnership, and we aim to strengthen our ties in all fields and make them solid through contractual bases. The UAE and Turkey have signed more than twenty agreements during the past two years, and there are many other agreements in various fields, including investment, education, renewable energy, environment and others. They have been placed on our agenda, and we hope that we will be able to finish some of them during this visit.
Regarding the fight against global warming, Fakhruddin Altoun told Al-Ittihad that climate change is one of the most urgent and unprecedented challenges of our time, and the only way to face this challenge is joint cooperation and close cooperation at the global level.
He said, “As members of the international community, we need to strengthen national and collective resilience to face the negative effects of climate change,” stressing that COP28 in the UAE will be a pivotal climate summit in terms of the initial discussions of the global assessment.
“The world will see progress in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, and COP28 can pave the way for more ambitious climate action to protect our planet,” he added.
He stated that Turkey, being located in the Mediterranean region, is one of the hotspots in terms of climate change, as it faces an increasing response to extreme weather events.
He continued, “Combating environmental challenges and climate change is one of the priorities of Turkey’s national agenda, and from this standpoint, we will spare no effort for the success of the upcoming COP 28 conference, which will be held in Dubai at the end of this year.”
Moreover, Altun said that Turkey, being a candidate country to host COP31 in 2026, attaches utmost importance to COP28, adding, “The results of COP28 will guide us in determining our priorities for COP31.”
He stated that Turkey is ready to contribute more to global efforts to address environmental challenges, especially climate change, biodiversity loss and waste management on the basis of sustainable development and green transition.
With regard to efforts to combat terrorism, the head of the Communications Department in the Turkish presidency said: “Turkey and the regional partners share a basic vision regarding the importance of cooperation to protect and enhance the security and stability of our region,” stressing that security and stability are necessary for progress in regional integration and achieving prosperity. A comprehensive approach must be adopted to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in our region.
He stated that this must include coordination and cooperation at the highest level in measures taken against terrorist groups, and must also lead to a joint long-term effort to eliminate the conditions that lead to terrorist recruitment and financing.
He said, “There should be no justification for tolerating any terrorist organization or terrorist activity, and no front for a terrorist group should be accepted in any way.” Terrorist organizations wherever they are.
Altun concluded his interview with Al-Ittihad, saying: “Turkey is still an active member of the global coalition against ISIS, and we have greatly contributed to the elimination of the organization through well-calculated military operations.”
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