On July 1, 2020, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with an official reception in Doha at Amiri Diwan government complex.

Following meeting the Qatari emir, Erdogan attended Türkiye-Qatar 3rd High Strategic Committee meeting.

Erdogan arrived in Doha late on June 30, 2020, as part of the last leg of his official visits to Russia and Kuwait.

Among the Turkish delegation accompanying the president in his day-long visit are Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and National Intelligence Organisation head Hakan Fidan.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 02, 2020, discussed strategic relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields, especially in economic, investment, commercial, energy and defence co-operation for the common interests of the two countries and peoples.

The two leaders vowed to strengthen the relations to more co-operative and integrated levels in all fields.

During the meeting held at the Pearl Palace Thursday afternoon, HH the Amir and the Turkish president discussed the latest developments in Palestine, Libya, Syria and Yemen, in addition to exchanging views on international issues of common concern.

President Erdogan’s visit to Qatar assumes significance as it is his first official trip outside his country following the outbreak of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, and in light of the regional and international developments.

His Highness the Amir and the Turkish president have always been keen on maintaining co-ordination between them, discussing regional and international issues, whether through direct meetings or phone calls, the last of which was held at the end of June when the Amir received a phone call from the Turkish president.

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The last visit of President Erdogan to Doha was in November 2019, when he and the His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani presided over the fifth session of the Qatar-Türkiye Supreme Strategic Committee, during which several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed, to build on the progress achieved through the mechanisms of the Supreme Strategic Committee, including:

1. Amendments related to the arrangements for the currency-swap agreement (Qatari riyal and Turkish lira) between Qatar Central Bank and the Central Bank of Türkiye.
2. An agreement on industrial and technological co-operation between the governments of Qatar and Türkiye.
3. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and Türkiye’s Presidential Finance Office.
4. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Qatar Investment Promotion Agency and Türkiye’s Presidential Investment Office.
5. A Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in the field of civil planning between the governments of Qatar and Türkiye.
6. A joint declaration of intent regarding the establishment of a laboratory to facilitate trade and enhance consumer protection between the Qatar General Organisation for Standards and Metrology (QS) in Qatar and the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) in Türkiye.
7. A Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in the field of standards between the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) in Qatar and the Turkish Standards Institute.

The two sides also confirmed their intention to expand and strengthen the legal framework for their bilateral relations.

The committee was established following an agreement signed by  Amir and the Turkish President Erdogan in December 2014.

The first session of the committee, which was hosted by Doha in December 2015, set the bilateral relations between the two countries on an institutional path that guarantees to fortify the previous achievements and broadens their horizons to achieve distinction in various fields, especially economic, commercial, investment, cultural and security.

The Turkish-Qatari relations are an integrated model for co-operation and co-ordination between partners and brothers in various political, economic, cultural, and military fields.

The relations have witnessed rapid growth since the unjust blockade was imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt on June 5, 2017.

This was represented in increasing the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, which promises a prosperous future for the bilateral relations.

On many occasions, the two countries have demonstrated that the friendship that unites them is true and solid.

The two countries have also strengthened military ties, with Türkiye maintaining a military base in Qatar since 2015 – and the two sides’ armies carrying out joint military drills in recent years.

Also, Doha stood firmly with Ankara during 2016 failed coup attempt and the Turkish lira crisis in 2019, when His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani visited Türkiye at that time and directed to provide a package of economic projects, investments, and deposits amounting to approximately QR55bn (USD15bn) from Qatar to support of the Turkish economy.

The Qatari-Turkish relations are old, historical, based on brotherhood, understanding, and mutual respect, as well as a great legacy of history and the shared civilization of the two brotherly people.

The embassy of Qatar in Ankara inaugurated in February 2018 the issuance of the “Qatari-Turkish joint postal stamp” on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the launch of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1973.

The most prominent of these events was in 2014 when the Türkiye-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee was established at the level of leaders.

This article was edited using the data from the Aljazeera.com, www.gulf-times.com, and www.aa.com.tr.