President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday, on the first day of his trip to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Accompanied by a delegation of ministers and businesspeople, Erdoğan hopes to expand ties between the two countries and collaboration on regional issues. He was expected to meet Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) later on Tuesday at Al Yamamah Palace.
It is Erdoğan’s first visit abroad this year and comes at a time when the immediate region of both countries faces multiple threats, namely, Israel’s expansionist policies and the risk of an all-out Iran-U.S. conflict.
Erdoğan was welcomed by Riyadh Emir Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud at the airport before heading to the palace.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Erdoğan said he would discuss bilateral ties and regional issues in his trips to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. “We will discuss joint steps for security and rebuilding of Gaza and efforts to de-escalate the Iran crisis,” he said.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, which stand out as two key countries in the Middle East, continue to strengthen their historic and deep-rooted relations through an increasing number of high-level reciprocal visits in recent years.
As part of the visit, the "Saudi Arabia-Türkiye Business Forum" will be organized by the Ministry of Trade and the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK).
Last week, the Saudi Council of Ministers authorized relevant ministries to conclude agreements with Türkiye in the fields of renewable energy and civil defense, and approved a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in social services between the two countries.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, which established diplomatic relations with the signing of the Friendship Treaty in 1929, have built strong ties over nearly a century through high-level reciprocal visits and regional organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
As bilateral relations strengthened through diplomatic visits, then-Saudi King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Türkiye in 1966 as part of efforts toward unity among Muslim countries.
The two countries entered a new phase of rapprochement based on shared interests during the years of the Iran-Iraq War, during which then-Turkish President Kenan Evren also visited Saudi Arabia.
With an agreement signed in Jeddah on Oct. 11, 2003, between the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Business Council was established under the umbrella of DEIK.
Then-Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Türkiye on Aug. 8, 2006, accompanied by more than 50 businesspeople. This marked the first king-level visit from Saudi Arabia to Türkiye in 40 years, during which six agreements were signed in the fields of tourism, transportation, health, and the promotion of mutual investments.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also signed a protocol establishing the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) to strengthen economic cooperation across various sectors.
The close relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are also reflected in bilateral trade.
Saudi Arabia, which derives 85-90% of its state revenues from oil, exports crude oil and petrochemical products to Türkiye, while importing various goods from Türkiye, including carpets, processed stones for construction, tobacco products, food and furniture. According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, the bilateral trade volume reached $5.59 billion in 2015, $5.007 billion in 2016, $4.845 billion in 2017, $4.954 billion in 2018, and $5.107 billion in 2019.
Developing diplomatic and trade relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia has also positively affected military cooperation.
Aselsan signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2015 with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and TAQNIA DST to enhance cooperation in defense electronics.
Following assessments that Aselsan's products could meet the needs of relevant Saudi institutions, a cooperation agreement was signed between Aselsan and TAQNIA DST in 2016.
The Saudi Defense Electronics Company (SADEC), established through a partnership between Aselsan and TAQNIA DST, represents one of the most significant collaborations between the two countries.
Baykar also signed an export and cooperation agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Defense in July 2023 for the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The agreement was recorded as the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of Türkiye.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as major military and economic powers in the region, have achieved significant successes in regional policies through strengthened political and diplomatic relations in recent years.
By maintaining a mature balance based on controlled competition and cooperation rather than conflict, Ankara and Riyadh have demonstrated effective stances through institutions such as the OIC and the U.N. regarding crises in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
After Israel declared war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia aligned their positions on the Palestinian issue, sharing overlapping interests in supporting a two-state solution and playing a joint role in a potential political settlement.
Thanks to international efforts led by Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, together with other regional countries, 160 of the U.N.'s 193 member states have recognized Palestine as a state.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also demonstrated strong cooperation with other regional countries to ensure internal peace and stability in Syria, where the Bashar Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024.
Supporting the new administration under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the Turkish and Saudi governments played an important role in the lifting of international sanctions that would contribute to Syria's reconstruction process.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also continue to demonstrate strong stances in favor of stability through humanitarian aid efforts and diplomatic support in international platforms, not only in Yemen, which has been the scene of internal conflicts for many years, but also in the crises in Sudan and Somalia.
