Türkiye and Qatar signed five agreements covering trade, education, diplomacy and defence on Friday as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Istanbul for the 12th Meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee.

The leaders first held a closed-door one-on-one meeting at the Dolmabahçe Office, followed by delegation-level talks attended by senior officials, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director İbrahim Kalın.

The discussions focused on bilateral relations as well as major regional and international developments before the two leaders presided over the signing ceremony.

Five agreements signed

The signed documents included a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Consumer Protection, Market Surveillance and Inspection, an Agreement on Cooperation in Education, a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Resolution between the two foreign ministries, the Joint Statement of the 12th Meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee, and a Mutual Defence Agreement signed by President Erdoğan and Emir Sheikh Tamim.

The agreements are aimed at expanding cooperation in a wide range of strategic sectors and further strengthening the long-standing partnership between the two countries.

Erdoğan highlights defence, energy cooperation

According to Türkiye's Directorate of Communications, President Erdoğan said the newly signed Mutual Defence Agreement would add "a new dimension" to the brotherhood between Türkiye and Qatar.

He also noted that the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered into force last year, had brought the two countries closer to achieving their bilateral trade volume target.

Erdoğan stressed that Ankara remains committed to expanding and diversifying energy cooperation with Qatar, while cooperation in the defence industry will continue to deepen in the coming period.

Gaza, Syria and Libya discussed

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional developments, including the occupation regime's attacks on Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave, Syria's normalization process and the latest developments in Libya.

Erdoğan emphasized the importance of preventing renewed conflict in the Gulf region, reaffirming that Türkiye and Qatar would continue working together to promote dialogue and lasting peace. He also underscored the need to encourage all parties to resolve disputes through diplomatic means.

Türkiye and Qatar have significantly expanded their strategic partnership over the past decade through close cooperation in defence, trade, energy, investment and regional diplomacy. The High Strategic Committee, established in 2014, serves as the main mechanism for coordinating bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.(ILKHA)