Strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia on Turkiye’s 101st anniversary

On the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the foundation of Turkiye, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to the brotherly Saudi people, led by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Turkish struggle for independence ended with an unprecedented victory, which demonstrated to the whole world the determination of our great people to be free.

There is no doubt that this victory was one of the most important milestones on the path to the establishment of our now 101-year-old republic.

The birth of Turkiye on Oct. 29, 1923, helped establish stability and peace not only in Anatolia but also in the entire region.

The young republic, deriving strength from its history, has taken decisive steps toward a democratic, stable and prosperous Turkiye.

It is thanks to these steps that today we rightfully take pride in the “Century of Turkiye” — the century of our nation’s rise to the ranks of major regional and international powers through development and prosperity.

Having celebrated the quincentenary of the founding of its foreign service last year, Turkiye continues to build its bright future, contribute to regional and international security and stability, and strive to defend its own rights as well as those of its friends and allies.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight our longstanding historical and cultural relations with Saudi Arabia.

The relations between Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are characterized by historical depth. Turkiye was one of the first countries to recognize the Kingdom of Hejaz and had already established its diplomatic mission by 1926.

The bilateral relations were subsequently strengthened by the Treaty of Friendship signed in 1929.

When Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was among the first leaders to send a congratulatory message to King Abdulaziz.

The reception of Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz by Ataturk in the same year and Prince Faisal’s later visit to Ankara as king in 1966 were signs of the strong relations that would continue for many years.

The statement made by Prince Faisal to Turkish journalists in Istanbul on July 8, 1932, is the best example of our deep friendship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In his statement, Prince Faisal said: “I came to Turkiye, which I love very much, as a representative of a foreign country. However, we came to this brotherly country, with which we have lived together for centuries, not as strangers, but with feelings of longing after many years of being apart.

“The historical events and geographical borders that separated these two countries, which were united ten years ago, could not dispel the heartfelt feelings of the two brotherly peoples. It is certainly needless to say that the relations between the two peoples are characterized by friendship. The two brotherly peoples have been friends and will remain so.”

As an expression of this friendship, King Abdullah visited Turkiye in 2006, and King Salman visited in 2015 and 2016.

The reciprocal visits extending from the past to the present, especially the frequent visits in recent years by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Saudi Arabia and the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Turkiye in 2022, confirm the strong political will at the highest level to develop our relations and give tangible momentum to the pace of our joint cooperation.

We are convinced that we will expand our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, particularly in the fields of defense, industry and construction, as our relations continue to strengthen.

Furthermore, the progress of the Turkish economy, which continues to climb the ladder of the global economic pyramid, will naturally be reflected in the relations between the two countries, both of which are G20 member states.

In fact, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached $6.8 billion last year and continues to approach the $10 billion target, which is a tangible indication of this reflection.

On the other hand, it is well known that Turkiye is an important tourist destination for many countries in the world, including Saudi Arabia.

We are pleased to host our dear Saudi sisters and brothers, along with tourists from all over the world. In this context, we are also happy with the increasing number of Saudi tourists visiting Turkiye.

Lastly, on behalf of the Turkish government, the Turkish people, and the Turkish community in Saudi Arabia, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the people and leadership of the Kingdom for their friendship and cooperation.

I am confident that the future holds greater opportunities for our bilateral relations and that we will continue to work together for peace, prosperity and progress in the region and beyond.

Long live the Turkish-Saudi friendship, long live the Turkish-Saudi brotherhood.

• Prof. Dr. Emrullah Isler is Turkiye’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia.