ANKARA:
\nTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he hopes his visit to Jeddah will herald a new era in ties with \u201cbrotherly\u201d Saudi Arabia, as the regional rivals hold the first high-level visit in years after intense efforts to repair strained ties.
\nErdogan\u2019s visit, which his office said was at the invitation of Saudi King Salman, marks the culmination of a months-long drive to mend ties.
\nAnalysts and officials say Saudi funding could help Turkey alleviate its economic woes, including soaring inflation, ahead of tough elections for Erdogan next year.
\nSpeaking to reporters before departing for Jeddah, Erdogan said Thursday\u2019s visit was \u201cthe manifestation of our common will\u201d to improve ties and strengthen political, military and cultural relations, adding he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
\n\u201cOn the occasion of my visit, we will review all aspects of Turkey-Saudi Arabia ties,\u201d he said, adding it would be mutually beneficial to boost cooperation on areas including health, energy, food security, defence industry, and finance.
\n\u201cWith common efforts, I believe we will carry our ties even beyond where they were in the past,\u201d he said.
\nIn conciliatory remarks that stand in sharp contrast to the war of words in the aftermath of the Khashoggi murder, Erdogan cited the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan as a fitting time for the visit, saying it was the month of \u201creplenishing and strengthening brotherly ties\u201d.
\nAnkara hopes the visit will fully end an unofficial Saudi boycott of Turkish imports, imposed in 2020 amid the Khashoggi standoff. The boycott cut Turkish imports to the kingdom by 98%.
\nA senior Turkish official said there was a \u201cvery positive\u201d atmosphere ahead of the trip, adding: \u201cThe groundwork is ready so that we can act in unison on trade, investments and regional issues once again.\u201d
\nThe visit comes as Turkey grapples with the economic fallout from the war between its Black Sea neighbours Ukraine and Russia as well.
\nTurkey\u2019s economy has been ailing for years and a lira crisis erupted in late 2021 due to an unorthodox monetary policy backed by Erdogan that sent inflation soaring above 60%.
\nTurkey wants Saudi Arabia to join an existing currency swap network currently worth $28 billion that already involves China, South Korea, Qatar and the UAE. It also eyes investments and contracts similar to those inked with Abu Dhabi, officials say.
\nErdogan on Thursday said Saudi Arabia had a \u201cspecial place\u201d for Turkey due to their trade ties, investments, and projects taken by Turkish contractors over the years.
\n\u201cThe complementary structure of our economies is among the leading factors pulling Saudi investors to the dynamic investment atmosphere in Turkey,\u201d he said, indicating renewable energy as an area where he thinks the countries have potential.
\nErdogan\u2019s trip is part of a wider charm offensive to mend Turkey\u2019s strained ties across the region, including with Egypt, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
\nDiplomats and analysts say the overtures are needed to help relieve economic and political pressures after Turkey\u2019s policies in Syria, Libya and elsewhere in recent years left it increasingly isolated.
\n\u201cErdogan is pragmatic and a political animal, and his polls may not hold up for a year unless he can boost jobs,\u201d said a Western diplomat. \u201cSo he is partly seeking deals and funding in Saudi, and a swap line for perhaps $10-$20 billion would be something worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he hopes his visit to Jeddah will herald a new era in ties with \u201cbrotherly\u201d Saudi Arabia, as the regional rivals hold the first high-level visit in years after intense efforts to repair strained ties. Erdogan\u2019s visit, which his office said was at the invitation of Saudi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":223059,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[501,2442,606],"class_list":{"0":"post-257980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-saudi-arabia","9":"tag-tayyip-erdogan","10":"tag-visit"},"yoast_head":"\n