Turkish ambassador says Qatar–Türkiye coordination is more crucial than ever amid regional tensions

The leaders’ meeting concluded with a mutual defence agreement aimed at strengthening security coordination, joint military exercises and defence industry cooperation.Türkiye’s ambassador to Qatar has stressed the importance of closer cooperation between Doha and Ankara amid regional tensions, as the two countries held their 12th Supreme Strategic Committee meeting and signed a mutual defence agreement in Istanbul on Friday.Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) ahead of the meeting, Ambassador Yakup Caymazoğlu highlighted the significance of the strategic partnership, with Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan holding talks on regional security, diplomacy and economic cooperation.Diplomacy amid regional tensionsThe ambassador highlighted the countries’ shared commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, particularly their coordination on Gaza and tensions involving Iran and the United States.“Our cooperation offers a valuable example of how strategic partnerships can contribute to dialogue and peaceful solutions at times of heightened uncertainty,” Caymazoğlu said.The envoy also praised Qatar’s mediation efforts in Afghanistan and humanitarian initiatives related to the Russia-Ukraine war, reaffirming Türkiye’s support for Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.Expanding defence and economic cooperationThe leaders’ meeting concluded with a mutual defence agreement aimed at strengthening security coordination, joint military exercises and defence industry cooperation.Since the Supreme Strategic Committee was established in 2014, its previous 11 meetings have produced more than 120 cooperation documents covering trade, investment, defence, energy, education and culture.“Our growing cooperation in the defense industry is a tangible manifestation of the strategic depth of our relations,” the ambassador said.The Turkish envoy also pointed to the Badr Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Doha on 21October between Qatar, Türkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia, as an example of expanding cooperation in defence production and research.Both countries are working towards a bilateral trade target of $5 billion, supported by a trade agreement that entered into force in August 2025.A longstanding strategic partnershipAmbassador Caymazoğlu also identified clean energy and climate resilience as areas for further cooperation, highlighting Türkiye’s hosting of COP31 in Antalya.Reaffirming the longstanding relationship between Doha and Ankara, the ambassador expressed confidence in the partnership’s continued development.“Türkiye and Qatar have always stood by each other, in challenge and in prosperity, and will continue to do so,” the ambassador said.