Qatar and Turkey have signed a major mutual defence agreement aimed at strengthening military and strategic cooperation, as well as coordinating their response in the event of an external armed attack.
The agreement was signed on Friday in Istanbul during a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who co-chaired a meeting of the two countries’ High Strategic Committee.
According to a joint statement, the agreement aims to strengthen collective defence and regional security, while establishing a unified position in response to any external armed attack targeting either or both countries.
The two sides agreed to hold consultations on security threats and deepen cooperation through joint military exercises, defence industry partnerships, and personnel exchanges for training purposes.
The Turkish Presidency announced that Erdogan had stressed that both countries would continue working together to prevent a renewed outbreak of war in the Gulf region and create conditions for dialogue and peace. He also highlighted that the agreement would expand cooperation in the defence industry.
During the meeting, the two leaders also discussed Israeli attacks in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory, efforts to normalize relations in Syria, and the latest developments in Libya.
In addition to the defence agreement, Qatar and Turkey signed several other agreements covering trade, energy, diplomacy, education, and culture.
