Ömer Bolat discusses boosting trade with Arab ministers in Istanbul

Türkiye’s Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met in Istanbul with ministers from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen on the sidelines of the 42nd COMCEC Ministerial Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. They discussed trade and investment targets.

Türkiye’s Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met with several Arab ministers in Istanbul on the sidelines of the 42nd Ministerial Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).

Bolat discussed trade and investment relations with Egypt with Mohamed Farid Saleh, Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. He described Egypt as Türkiye’s largest trading partner on the African continent and said they were working to reach a trade volume of $15 billion. He announced that the third meeting of the countries’ high-level trade consultation mechanism would be held in Türkiye in 2027.

بولات ووزير الاستثمار والتجارة الخارجية المصري محمد فريد صالح

With Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Bolat discussed regional developments, protectionist policies in global trade and carbon border adjustment mechanisms, as well as mutual investments aimed at increasing bilateral trade to $40 billion. The two sides agreed to hold the third meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee and the second meeting of the Joint Committee for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Türkiye at the same time.

During his meeting with Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, Bolat stressed the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $1 billion. The two sides agreed on the need to accelerate the completion of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Türkiye and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Bolat also met Sudan’s Minister of Industry and Trade Mahasin Ali Yacoub, and the two agreed that Türkiye’s contracting sector could contribute to Sudan’s reconstruction. He discussed increasing mutual investments with Tunisia’s Minister of Trade and Export Development Samir Obaid, noting that investments by Turkish companies in Tunisia exceed $700 million. He also received Yemen’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Salem Mohammed Ahmed Salman and reiterated Türkiye’s support for Yemen’s unity and territorial integrity.

Ömer Bolat discusses boosting trade with Arab ministers in Istanbul