Mutual defense agreement signed between Türkiye and Qatar

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the joint statement of the 12th Meeting of the High Strategic Committee between Türkiye and Qatar. The statement noted that the meeting was held in Istanbul under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with the participation of the ministers responsible for the areas of cooperation set out in the Joint Memorandum on the Establishment of the High Strategic Committee dated 19 December 2014.

The parties reiterated their target of reaching a trade volume of 5 billion US dollars. They agreed on new opportunities to expand and diversify commercial and economic relations, as well as on examining the contribution the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) will make to achieving this target. It was conveyed that TEPA, signed in 2018 and entered into force on 1 August 2025, will contribute to deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries by improving trade exchange, facilitating the flow of goods and services and promoting mutual investments.

The statement recorded that the parties expressed satisfaction with Qatar's investments in Türkiye and with Turkish contracting companies undertaking 206 projects in Qatar worth a total of 20.8 billion dollars. It was agreed that the second meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) would be held in Doha, and that the 7th meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar Joint Commission on Economic and Technical Cooperation would also be held in Doha at the earliest possible date.

In the field of defense, the signing of the "Mutual Defense Agreement between Türkiye and Qatar" was welcomed with appreciation. The statement noted that the parties confirmed that the Agreement reflects "the commitment of the signatory parties solely to protecting their sovereignty and territorial integrity," as well as reflecting their shared vision of contributing to a safer and more stable regional order. The parties agreed to develop cooperation through joint military exercises, defense industry cooperation and personnel training exchanges. The Badr Memorandum signed by Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia was also welcomed.

The statement noted that the parties demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained humanitarian aid workers and United Nations personnel, and reiterated their support for the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza. The parties also referred to COP31, the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Zero Waste Initiative; a "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Peace, Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution" was signed.