His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan co-chaired the 12th meeting of the Qatar-Turkiye Supreme Strategic Committee at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul yesterday. At the outset of the meeting, President Erdogan welcomed His Highness the Amir and his accompanying delegation, praising his commitment to strengthening strategic co-operation between the two countries and Qatar’s diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and support regional and international peace and security.
The Amir thanked the Turkish president for the warm welcome, highlighting the strong bilateral partnership and Qatar’s commitment to expanding co-operation in line with the aspirations of both peoples.
During the meeting, they discussed strategic ties in defence, trade, investment, energy and education, as well as regional and international developments, particularly the situation in the region and global energy security. The meeting was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani and a number of members of the Amir’s official delegation. On the
Turkish side, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and a number of senior officials also attended.
A major focus was expanding economic and trade co-operation, with both sides reaffirming their ambition to increase bilateral trade to $5bn in the near future. They welcomed the entry into force of the Trade and
Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), describing it as a significant milestone in facilitating trade, investment and economic integration.
The communique highlighted substantial Qatari investments in Turkiye and noted that Turkish contracting companies had undertaken 206 projects in Qatar worth $20.8bn. Both countries agreed to strengthen private-sector partnerships, promote business forums, facilitate trade exhibitions and advance co-operation through the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). They also welcomed initiatives to improve regional trade routes, logistics connectivity and supply-chain resilience.
Energy co-operation was another priority, with both countries expressing their commitment to energy security, diversification of energy sources and expanded collaboration, particularly in liquefied natural gas (LNG).
In education and culture, the two sides welcomed the signing of an education agreement and agreed to expand co-operation in teacher development, language teaching, student exchanges and educational institutions. They also discussed a potential joint scholarship programme, supported by Qatar Fund for Development and Turkiye’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, to provide educational opportunities for students from disadvantaged and conflict-affected countries.
Both countries pledged to deepen collaboration in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and cybersecurity. They welcomed the strategic partnership between Turkiye’s Turksat and Qatar’s Es’hailSat, including the Es’hail-3/Turksat-Biruni satellite project, as an important example of technological cooperation.
Defence and security featured prominently in the meeting’s outcomes. The two sides welcomed the signing of a Mutual Defence Agreement aimed at strengthening collective defence, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promoting regional stability. They agreed to enhance co-operation through joint military exercises, defence-industry partnerships, personnel training and consultations on security threats. They also commended the Badr MoU signed by Qatar, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia to strengthen defence-industrial capabilities through joint production, technology development and information exchange.
Co-operation will also expand in healthcare, labour, youth and sports, environmental protection, family services and humanitarian assistance. Both countries agreed to strengthen institutional co-ordination, exchange expertise and implement existing agreements. They also welcomed the entry into force of their humanitarian aid co-operation agreement and pledged closer co-ordination on international relief operations.
On regional issues, Qatar and Turkiye reaffirmed their support for a ceasefire in Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian access and international efforts towards reconstruction and early recovery. They condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including settlement expansion, forced displacement and violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Both sides reiterated their support for an independent Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and reaffirmed the importance of UNRWA’s humanitarian mandate.
The communique also addressed developments in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Cyprus. The two countries stressed the importance of sovereignty, territorial integrity, political stability and diplomatic solutions. Regarding tensions involving the United States and Iran, they emphasised dialogue, de-escalation, protection of civilians and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar and Turkiye further agreed to strengthen co-operation in mediation and conflict resolution, counterterrorism and international diplomacy, while expanding collaboration between the Doha Forum and Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The two sides concluded by reaffirming their commitment to implementing the committee’s decisions and agreed to hold the 13th Supreme Strategic Committee meeting in Qatar in 2027.