Turkiye and Qatar reaffirmed their bilateral defense ties and called for diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts during a high-level strategic meeting. The 12th meeting of the Turkiye-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee took place in Istanbul, chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Ministers responsible for cooperation under the founding agreement of December 2014 attended the talks. Both nations welcomed the signing of a mutual defense agreement designed to strengthen collective defense, promote regional security, and establish a common position against external armed attacks targeting either country.
The agreement reflects a shared vision of contributing to a secure and stable regional order while safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the joint communique. The countries agreed to hold consultations on security threats, defense policies, and global issues, alongside expanding cooperation through joint military exercises and personnel training.
The two sides welcomed the Badr memorandum signed by Turkiye, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia. They described the pact as a step toward developing indigenous capabilities through joint production, technology development, and stronger defense industry supply chains.
Both governments pledged to continue close cooperation in countering terrorism in all its forms. The statement listed groups including the PKK, its Syrian branch the YPG, ISIS, and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization.
On economic relations, Turkiye and Qatar reiterated a target of increasing trade volume to $5 billion. They acknowledged Qatari investments in Turkiye and stated that Turkish contractors have undertaken 206 projects in Qatar worth $20.8 billion. The countries also agreed to closer cooperation in banking, finance, logistics, and liquefied natural gas trade.
Turning to Gaza, Turkiye and Qatar agreed to coordinate humanitarian assistance and support early recovery. They demanded immediate and unconditional release of detained humanitarian workers and UN personnel, and expressed concern over Israeli actions undermining ceasefire implementation. Both sides strongly condemned Israeli settlement activities, land confiscation, and forced displacement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The communique condemned incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Israelis and reaffirmed that the entire 144-dunam compound is exclusively a place of worship for Muslims. They recognized the special role of the Hashemite custodianship and the Jerusalem Endowments authority.
Regarding the conflict involving the United States and Iran, the two countries emphasized that wider regional repercussions must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. They pointed to the importance of understandings between Washington and Tehran to ensure de-escalation, and called for the resumption of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The nations also reaffirmed support for Syrian government efforts to restore stability, condemned Israeli actions violating Lebanese sovereignty, and called for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
