Qatar-Turkey trade increases by 46% in 2017: Ozer

CAIRO – 20 May 2018: Turkish Ambassador to Doha, Fikret Ozer, said Monday that the trade volume between Qatar and Turkey increased by over 46 percent by the end of 2017, compared to the same period of 2016, to reach $1.3 billion.

In a seminar on “Qatar-Turkey Trade and Investment Opportunities”, attended by Ozer, Turkey’s Metcap Energy Investments and Qatar’s Fusion Dynamics signed a deal to invest more than $5 billion in energy and petrochemical industry.

Following the Arab boycott of Qatar on June 5, 2017, Qatar and Turkey have seen a boost in trade and military ties. Turkish-led newspaper, Zaman, reported in 2017 that Qatar will pump $19 billion worth of investments into the Turkish economy.

Some experts on Turkish-Qatari relations said that Qatar is believed to be doubling its investments in Turkey in 2018 to amount to $20 billion by injecting new investments worth $19 billion; in addition to the existing $18 billion investments in various fields including tourism, energy, telecommunications, food industry, health, insurance, banking, and military industries, according to media reports.

For his part, President of the Middle East Economic Forum Arden Ozil said that the Turkish market serves as a safe haven for Qatari investments, especially in light of the continued economic embargo imposed on Qatar by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain since June.


Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) with Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman Al-Thani, on July 14, 2017 - AFP

In March, Ozer, told reporters at a press conference in Doha that Turkey is considering the deployment of naval and air forces troops in Doha.

The deployment of the new troops will add to the troops that are already stationed in Doha, Ozer said, adding that the deployment of the troops is according to an agreement signed between Qatar and Turkey in 2014. The first batch of Turkish troops arrived at the Tariq bin Ziyad military base in 2015.

U.S. National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster underlined at a conference in Washington, D.C., in December 2017, that Turkey and Qatar are playing a key role in advancing the radical Islamist ideology in the Muslim community.

McMaster explained that these two countries are carrying out their hostile policies to fund and support terrorism and extremism through charities, madrassas and other social organizations, according to U.S. newspaper, The Algemeiner.

The promotion of radical Islam, McMaster said, is “now done more by Qatar and by Turkey.”

The four Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic and trade relations with Qatar over charges including supporting terrorism and fostering ties with their regional rival, Iran. The quartet issued 13 demands to end the standoff, including shutting the Turkish base in Qatar.