Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay an official visit to Qatar on Sunday to hold high-level talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations, regional security, and ongoing diplomatic efforts to address tensions across the Middle East, Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

During the visit, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye's solidarity and support for Qatar following the recent attacks targeting the Gulf country, while emphasizing the growing strategic partnership between Ankara and Doha across political, economic, defense, and security fields.

A key item on the agenda will be preparations for the 12th meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee, which is scheduled to take place in Türkiye later this year under the co-chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The committee serves as the highest institutional mechanism guiding bilateral relations and has convened annually since its establishment in 2015, alternating between Türkiye and Qatar.

According to ministry sources, Fidan is expected to underline that recent developments in the region have highlighted the strategic importance of the defense and military cooperation between the two countries.

The discussions will also focus on the need to resolve regional disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principle of regional ownership, while exploring ways to strengthen joint diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability.

The two sides are also expected to discuss expanding cooperation on connectivity projects, which have become increasingly significant for regional economic resilience and energy security.

Fidan is expected to stress that achieving a lasting resolution to tensions in the Gulf and preventing renewed escalation remain among the region's most urgent priorities.

The meetings will include exchanges on ongoing mediation efforts and diplomatic initiatives, as well as discussions on ensuring the security of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor.

Turkish officials said the foreign minister will also emphasize the importance of remaining vigilant against actions that risk further destabilizing the region.

The situation in Gaza is also expected to feature prominently during the talks.

Fidan will share Türkiye's assessment of the humanitarian and political developments in the Palestinian enclave and discuss recent progress related to the proposed Gaza Peace Plan, reaffirming Ankara's support for efforts aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire and advancing a just and sustainable resolution to the conflict.

Türkiye and Qatar have steadily expanded their strategic partnership since formally institutionalizing bilateral cooperation in 2014 through a wide range of agreements covering defense, trade, investment, energy, and diplomacy.

The latest meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee was held in Doha on October 22, 2025, with the next session scheduled to be hosted by Türkiye later this year.

Economic relations between the two countries have also continued to strengthen. Bilateral trade reached approximately $1.1 billion in 2025, and both governments have set a long-term target of increasing trade volume to $5 billion.

Further boosting economic ties, the Türkiye-Qatar Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on August 1, 2025, providing a new framework for expanding trade and investment cooperation between the two strategic partners. (ILKHA)