Erdogan on UAE visit to end isolation, secure funding
The Turkish president seeks to bolster Turkey's ties to the Arab world.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Monday in a fence-mending visit that is part of Ankara’s broader strategy of ending its regional isolation and drawing Gulf funding to its battered economy.
Erdogan was received by his erstwhile nemesis, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, amid much pomp. The UAE’s de facto ruler visited Ankara in November, heralding a thaw in relations that has seen both sides shelving years of incendiary rhetoric against the other. The leaders signed 12 commercial, cultural and defense accords. On Tuesday, Erdogan will travel to Dubai to visit the Turkish pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Erdogan set the tone ahead of the visit, telling reporters, “During this visit, we aim to develop the momentum we have harnessed with the United Arab Emirates and to take all necessary steps for relations to revert to the level they merit.”
استقبل ولي عهد #أبوظبي الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان، الرئيس التركي رجب طيب #أردوغان في مراسم رسمية.https://t.co/dXdDMuxN1U pic.twitter.com/5n75PZ6IuI
