In a forward-looking act of diplomacy, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed seven wide-ranging agreements during the inaugural session of the Türkiye–UAE High-Level Strategic Council during a summit in Ankara last week.

The event, co-chaired by President Erdogan and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, marks a decisive shift in bilateral relations and heralds a new phase of regional cooperation.

In his remarks, President Erdogan expressed his pleasure at hosting Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his delegation for this landmark first meeting of the Council.

“As His Highness Sheikh Al Nahyan has also emphasised, we are strengthening our cooperation and solidarity across all fields, and further consolidating our brotherly ties.”

From trade and infrastructure to defence, energy and advanced technology, relations have deepened markedly. Erdogan added that the UAE has now become Türkiye’s foremost trade partner in the Middle East.

“Just three years ago, we were asking whether we could reach $10 billion in trade volume,” he said. “This year, we hope to surpass $20 billion. Our medium-term target is $40 billion, and with mutual commitment, I believe we will reach it.”

In their bilateral talks, the two leaders discussed both regional challenges and the deepening of economic ties. 

“When I visited Abu Dhabi in 2023, we laid the foundations of our strategic partnership that has already begun to bear fruit across nearly every field,” President Erdogan said.

They also addressed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reaffirming their commitment to coordination and peacebuilding.

Realignment in the Gulf

According to Professor Kerem Alkin, a senior economist at Medipol University in Istanbul, the significance of the summit goes well beyond the agreements signed.

“Looking back over the past five years, despite the historically strong ties between Türkiye and the Gulf countries, we experienced a period marked by mutual disagreements,” he tells TRT World. “However, that chapter has closed.

The Gulf nations have come to fully recognise Türkiye’s indispensable role as a game-changer and a stabilising force, especially within its geopolitical region. As a result, we have now entered a new era of cooperation characterised by greater strategic depth, he adds.

The UAE President’s visit, he says, was “one of the most striking examples of this renewed engagement,” noting that the seven agreements serve as “strategic pillars for the region’s shared future.”

Seven pillars of partnership

The memoranda of understanding (MoUs) span key sectors, each reflecting a shared interest in innovation, resilience and regional leadership.

Tourism and hospitality: Signed by Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, head of Türkiye’s Investment Office, and UAE Investment Minister Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaidi, the agreement is designed to capitalise on shared strengths in hospitality.

“This alignment with the UAE, now a major player in global hospitality, is both timely and promising,” Alkin says.

He adds that despite Paris hosting the Olympic Games in 2024, both Istanbul and Antalya surpassed Paris in tourist numbers that year. This serves as a powerful indicator of Türkiye’s rising stature in global tourism.

Pharmaceutical sector: In the post-pandemic landscape, supply chain resilience is paramount. Aimed at bolstering regional health security, this MoU targets joint investment in pharmaceutical production and innovation.

It was also signed by Daglioglu and Al Suwaidi, targeting joint drug development and production.

“It is of profound strategic importance,” adds Alkin. “Proximity, capacity, and vision make this a powerful collaboration.”

Industrial and high-tech manufacturing: The two countries plan to scale up joint ventures in advanced industries and value-added production, positioning themselves for a future defined by technological competitiveness.

Aimed at enhancing bilateral industrial capacity and value-added manufacturing, this agreement underscores Türkiye’s and the UAE’s ambitions in high-tech production

Agricultural innovation and food security: Climate change and supply-chain volatility have added urgency to agricultural innovation globally.

Addressing the climate crisis and supply chain disruptions, this MoU lays the groundwork for collaborative innovation in agricultural technology and food security strategies.

“This is no longer optional. It’s an urgent imperative,” Alkin adds.

Diplomatic coordination: Signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz and UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marr, this agreement aims to improve citizen services and emergency coordination and reflects deepening institutional trust.

Polar scientific research: Perhaps the most surprising of the seven, this MoU focuses on joint research in polar regions.

Signed by Turkish Industry Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir and UAE Minister of Advanced Technology Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, this MoU is scientifically ambitious.

“It’s akin to a new space race,” says Professor Alkin. “And Türkiye and the UAE are stepping into it together.”

Protection of classified information: In a sign of increasing security cooperation, defence ministers Yasar Guler of Türkiye and Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei (UAE) signed a memorandum to safeguard classified information.

The agreement was signed to safeguard confidential and sensitive information, reflecting growing alignment in counterterrorism and national security.

Beyond MoUs

Alkin believes the event represents more than a bilateral milestone.

“These agreements are not isolated developments but part of a deeper transformation. Scientific research, high-tech manufacturing, agriculture, and diplomacy are converging to form a robust, multidimensional partnership,” he says.

The Türkiye-UAE summit may prove to be a blueprint for broader regional integration rooted in mutual respect and shared vision that offers a model of 21st-century diplomacy.

The agreements signed are more than mere memoranda; they represent a roadmap toward regional resilience, economic diversification and sustainable development.

“They will unlock new opportunities and reshape Türkiye’s relationship with the Gulf in the years ahead,” Alkin adds.